Fear Itself
by The Makorra Society
Summary: It was supposed to be a simple weapons raid. But what the Police Force in Republic City ends up discovering turns out to be more unlikely and dangerous than they could ever imagine.
1. Prologue

Three men stood in front of an old building in one of the back alleys of the Dragon Flats district. They seemed to be waiting impatiently for something or someone. And from the looks on their faces, things weren't going according to plan. The atmosphere was tense to say the least, and they sprang up, alert and wary every time a beat patrol car whizzed by as the night wore on.

"Why do we gotta wait here, Boss? Everyone knows we work outta here!" Shin groused.

"Because the BIG Boss said so. Now shut up!" Viper snapped.

"Well, he said he'd be here by 10. We've been waiting here for an hour!" Two-Toed Ping piped up, almost as annoyed as Shin for being kept waiting.

"Exactly! And I've gotta get back to my girlfriend! I promised her I wouldn't duck out on any more of our dates!" Shin said angrily.

"How come you've always got a date whenever we have these meetings?" Ping asked.

"How come you guys always have these meetings when I've got a date?" Shin fired back.

"Would you two knuckleheads quit yapping? He's here!" Viper snarled.

There was a dull screech of tires over gravel as they noticed a shiny, black limo approach the place where they were standing. It stopped right in front of them and the window slid down to show a tall, sallow skinned man with thick, greying hair surveying them, his golden irises keen and severe.

"Get in," was all Zolt said and the three men didn't waste any time in listening. Soon they were on their way out if Dragon Flats and across the Silk Road Bridge towards the other side of the city.

"Where are we going, Boss?" Viper asked.

"I've acquired us a contract," Zolt answered. "And if we do this right, we'll be set for a while."

* * *

Across town, in a rundown old mansion tucked away behind several imposing warehouses, two figures kept watch from a dimly lit sitting room. The whole house was silent, save for the ticking of the clock on the wall and the occasional rustle of paper as the documents on the desk in the back were being shuffled.

"You think this will work?"

A young woman in her twenties shifted from her position by the window, and turned to face her companion, giving her a crooked smile.

"You've seen the recipe yourself," she replied, her green eyes twinkling with mirth. "Any one of those ingredients taken by itself is lethal. Mix them all together and it's sure to do the job."

"I don't trust this recipe."

The woman by the window rolled her eyes. "You never trust anything, Hana."

"With good reason! I mean, look at this. What if the plan backfires and we're on the receiving end?"

The woman by the window gave a laugh. "Relax. Don't worry so much. Want a drink?"

"You're impossible," Hana muttered, but her perfectly manicured hands were already reaching for the bottle. "What time were our…friends supposed to get here?"

"Ten, according to the boss. Looks like they're a no-show."

Hana glanced out the window, towards the winding drive that remained as dimly lit as ever. Not a single set of tire tracks were visible. Sighing, her friend stood up from her place by the window and stretched, running a hand through her short, dark hair.

"Well," She said, applying a coat of red lipstick to her lips. "If they're not coming, I'm going to hit the bar. Song said there's a rich guy who pays handsomely for a night of entertainment, and I don't know about you, but five hundred yuans seems like a fair price for a one night stand. Besides, even if it's not, it's not like the guy will be alive after dawn."

The woman chuckled to herself and slipped into an elaborate pair of shoes before shrugging on an elegant shawl. She'd just reached for her purse when her friend grinned.

"Looks like you're going to have to take a rain check on that, Ami," Hana laughed. "Our guests have arrived."

Ami sighed, peering through the window again. "So, these are the formidable Triple Threats?" She wondered. "They don't look like much."

Hana grinned, fiddling with something tucked in her sleeve before tucking a strand of her brown hair away and fixing her make-up.

"Did the Red Lotus look like much?" She demanded.

"No," Ami conceded. "Still, I expected more of our esteemed comrades here. They look rather…simple."

"Well, they're a triad after all. What did you expect? No manners, probably no education; I'm not all that surprised they look like that."

Ami sighed dramatically, crimping her short hair before slipping a sharp pin, which expertly concealed a tiny Shirshu dart, in her hair. Hana slipped a small canister of something that look suspiciously like knockout gas down her dress and slipped two knives into her sleeves, before turning to face her friend.

"I think we've kept our friends waiting long enough. Let them in, Ami."

* * *

Viper didn't know what he had been expecting when the limo pulled up beside a rather old looking mansion, but whatever it was, it wasn't this. He'd been expecting a platoon of guards loitering about, waiting for them. Maybe a couple of mecha -tanks too, but definitely not an abandoned mansion. It was rather secluded for a dwelling on city property, but all the same, it wasn't at all what he pictured an Equalist hideout to be.

"You sure this is the right place, Boss?" Shin asked, opening the door before the limo even came to a full stop. "Looks fishy."

"This is it." Zolt promised.

"I don't like this," Ping admitted, sliding out of his seat and shutting the door quietly. "It looks like a trap."

Zolt laughed and led the way up what was once probably a very stately staircase, towards the front door.

"Relax, gentlemen. Everything will be fine. As it happens, our- shall we call them partners? - need something from us, so they'd be at a disadvantage to double cross us. So, quit whining and go knock."

Ping didn't seem inclined to do much of anything and even Shady Shin looked hesitant, so Viper decided to take one for the team and pounded the knocker against the door. He half expected some masked individual to usher them in, but was instead greeted by two women. Behind him, Ping gave a low whistle and Zolt clobbered him none too gently.

"You take your time, don't you?" The woman asked, laughing sweetly. She had short, dark hair that frame her face in waves and her green eyes were twinkling. She smelled faintly of jasmine and Viper blinked, half sure her perfume was addling his brain. "Do come in."

Under normal circumstances, Viper would've been wary of entering an Equalist stronghold, but this time he walked in without first ascertaining that the people on the other side didn't pose a threat. The woman didn't seem very threatening and honestly, neither did her companion who stood a few feet behind. The companion was the taller of the two and had brown hair that was neatly braided down her back. Her make-up accentuated her features well and really brought out her amber eyes and Viper found himself staring at the two a bit more than he'd have liked. Zolt must've noticed, for Viper received a sharp jab and a glare.

"Well, gentlemen," the companion said. "I trust everything in the contract is to your liking?"

"Yes," Zolt said, moving to sit down at the first woman's behest."I find the terms agreeable."

"Uh, what terms, Boss?" Ping whispered.

"Hasn't he told you, Mr. Ping?"

Zolt bristled. "I wanted to get all the facts straight first, Ms…"

The woman laughed. "Oh! Where are my manners? We haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Hana and that is Ami." The woman who had let them in smiled softly.

"I didn't realize there were beautiful Equalists," Viper blurted out, unable to stop himself.

Ami laughed, sliding into a chair across from him.

"You flatter us, Mr. Viper."

"You know our names?"

Hana smiled serenely and poured him a glass of something that smelled too good to not be intoxicating.

"You're something of a legend on the streets, Mr. Viper. The Triple Threats are quite well known." Hana explained. "It's how we contacted you."

"Bah!" Zolt grumbled. "I'm not a fool, Ms. Hana. You didn't get our names from someone on the street and it certainly isn't how you contacted us. I've seen Equalists at work before and even if times have changed, the Equalists have not. You've been keeping an eye on us, I'm sure, and when you decided we had something to offer, you found out where we were and left a note for me. If I'm not mistaken, it was that old fool, Shu, who told you."

"It was," Ami admitted. "But you mustn't blame him. He was intoxicated and we were having so much fun."

Zolt muttered something inaudible under his breath. Viper wondered if he still felt as confident now as he had before, because Zolt didn't look quite so composed. But, Viper had spent a lot of time with Zolt, so he was able to read him better than most people could.

"So what is the plan?" Ping repeated, downing his drink and eyeing Shin's glass. Shin passed it to him and rolled his eyes in disgust.

Hana fished something from her pocket handed it to Ping. It was a piece of paper and a faded one at that, but there was no mistaking the image printed on it.

"The Avatar?" Shin whistled. "What business do the Equalists have going against the Avatar?"

"What business does anyone have, Mr. Shin?" Ami demanded. "Haven't you grown tired of living underground? Don't you think the Avatar is sitting too comfortably?"

Shin shrugged, eyeing the picture his friend held. "Personally, no. We triads work best underground, away from the prying eyes and ears of the police force and the average citizen. As for the Avatar… well, we're not her biggest fans, but I'll admit I don't begrudge her her current position. She's got a bit of work to do, so I don't think she's sitting comfortably."

"Well, wouldn't you like to see her gone?"

Shin shrugged. "I wager Zolt might, but I'd like my bending back, so no."

"We might be in a position to help you get it back." Hana explained.

Shin quirked a brow and leaned forward. "I'm listening."

"The Equalist movement has weakened considerably," Hana said. "Since Amon's demise, there hasn't been much of a movement at all. Our brothers and sisters grow weak and disheartened, so we've decided to remedy that, starting with the Avatar. Once she's out of the way, there won't be much to stop the Equalists from coming out of hiding."

"And the Equalists mean to do this by themselves?" Viper wondered.

"Oh no," Ami chuckled. "Of course not. But we mean to do this for our cause. We're going to finish what Amon started and we're going to do it right."

"But the Avatar is a formidable opponent," Hana said. "She's mastered all the elements and then some and a direct attack would not end well. She has the support of the Air Nation, the police force, the Metal Clan, the United Forces; the list is endless. If we were to attack her once and failed, we'd be dealt a devastating blow. The minute word gets out that the Avatar is a target… well, you've seen what's happened in the past. Amon tried to rob her of her bending and that didn't work. Her own uncle tried to strip her of her title and kill her, but that failed. And even poisoned, bruised, battered, and weak, she held off remarkably well against the Red Lotus. And you've seen what she did to Kuvira. All those weapons and all those resources and even then, the Avatar won."

"I'm not sure I understand your point, Ms. Hana," Ping said. "How do we fit in?"

"My point, Mr. Ping, is this: with every incident, the Avatar's support system has only grown larger. She's made some powerful allies and she's important enough that they'd help her if the situation warranted it. So in short, alone, we'd be slaughtered. Figuratively speaking, of course. Alone, we Equalists would be picked off one by one and shipped to the Boiling Rock or locked away in some mountain prison never to see the light of day again. But together, we'd be a pretty powerful force to reckon with."

"We?" Viper echoed.

"We," Ami repeated. "This small band of Equalist brothers and sisters willing to carry out the plan, along with you triad members, and the Red Lotus. Together, pose a greater thread and even the Avatar will have a tough time disposing of us."

Viper let out a low whistle. "That is some team. And what exactly is this plan? Our boss hasn't given us the particulars, but I've got to admit, I'm eager to hear it."

"You're familiar with these ingredients, yes?" Ami asked, reaching behind her to grab a piece of paper and presenting it to them. All four men nodded.

"Some pretty toxic stuff. Wouldn't want to be around those things." Shin said.

"Precisely. Alone, they're lethal enough, but taken together…"

"You mean to mix them into something?" Ping demanded. Ami nodded and he blinked. "Into a pill?"

Hana laughed. "Oh no, Mr. Ping. A pill is far too complicated and besides, we have no way of ensuring that Avatar Korra actually takes the pill and that would require us getting too close to her and we can't get caught. As it happens, the Red Lotus has the perfect formula for turning these ingredients into a gas. We've got the tech mass produce the gas, to make canisters to contain the gas, etc. and you triads have access to Republic City's underbelly which would give us the perfect opening we need to gain intel and plant some of these somewhere the Avatar is. And once detonated, the Avatar would be out of commission. But, it requires us to work together. We must unite to take down a common enemy."

"And the Red Lotus is on board with this?" Ping wondered.

"Yes, very much so."

"And they're willing to help us, just like that?"

"I'm glad you asked, Mr. Ping. As it happens, the Red Lotus is on the premise. They wanted to wait to see if you triad members would agree before they signed on, but now that you've agreed, I'm sure they'd have no objections. If you gentlemen will follow us, we'll go meet them now and discuss this properly."

Hana and Ami stood up and motioned to the door and Shin and Ping followed, with Viper and Zolt trailing behind.

"I sure hope you know what you're getting into boss," Viper whispered.

Zolt's amber eyes gleamed. "Oh, believe me, my friend: I do."

* * *

In the room next to the one where this absurd group was meeting, a middle aged man found himself looking at the back of a massively built man wearing a cloak and a hood. It seemed that the man was poring over some information he'd just received. Yet, as if he sensed another's presence, he turned.

"I'm assuming our guests have all arrived?" he asked, his deep voice conveying his charm and authority all at the same time.

"They have, boss," he meekly replied.

"Good. Then it appears that we must go greet them in person," the man declared as he got up. The smaller man couldn't help but gulp a little at his imposing form. His very posture radiated authority and decisiveness, making him seem like a force to be reckoned with.

"You seem to have some reservations, Shen," the man stated plainly, at which the smaller man winced and hesitated.

"I don't know about this boss," Shen said finally. The hooded man turned toward him and leveled him with a glare. Shen realized he may have overstepped.

"I'm not doubting the game, I'm doubting the players. These people all have various reasons to hate each other, plus this toxin isn't even in the testing phase yet and-"

"I thought you weren't doubting the plan?" He asked softly. How is it that someone with that much muscle could speak so eloquently (and sound even deadlier)

"I'm not I swear! But how do we get these fools to work together?"

"By reminding them of their common enemy." He slammed down the newspaper which had a young, Water Tribe woman's face printed across the top half. Korra's recent negotiations had made the front page.

"I'm just saying, Boss… that if Zaheer, with all his friends, couldn't take her down, I don't see how we-"

"Zaheer was a pompous zealot," the man spat. "He disregarded practicality for theatrics. He should have known that the Avatar State works as a defense mechanism as much as it works as an opening."

Deciding against arguing any further, Shen simply sighed and nodded. The man seemed pleased at having bested him with his infallible argument, so he walked towards the other room with Shen at his heels. As soon as he opened the door, his keen eyes scanned the people gathered there, sizing them up and checking to see if they were up to the task.

"Welcome, everyone!" he greeted. "I trust Hana and Ami have brought you up to speed on our plan?"

"They did," Zolt answered. "But we need to know who we're doing business with. I don't help people I don't trust."

Shen winced as he noticed a change in his boss' demeanor. The man's posture turned rigid and even more imposing, if that was possible. His arms were crossed in front of his massive chest as he debated his next move.

"Our identities are not important, Mr. Zolt. At least not at the moment. Suffice it to say that we have a common goal: the fall of Avatar Korra. That is what we need to concern ourselves with. We have given the Equalists the formula, and you have the means and resources to produce it and ship it out in massive quantities to the right people and places. You will be well rewarded once we succeed. Now, shall we begin?" the man asked in a tone that invited no questions whatsoever.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

"Here's the new file."

Mako looked up just in time to see Lin drop a stack of papers on his desk. He'd been going over some small cases recently, but this latest one promised to be more exciting than the strange disappearances that hadn't been accounted for. The funny thing was that those people turned up later. A little different, but otherwise unharmed. Probably some tasteless joke or hoax, Mako reasoned. Hopefully this case would be more exciting.

"Please tell me this is an actual case," Mako pleaded, reaching for the file. "I can't stand looking at another petty robbery case."

Lin gave a small smile. "This is up your alley, kid. Have fun."

"No briefing?" Mako wondered.

"You can read, can't you?"

Mako mumbled a yes and began the arduous task of reading the file. When he finished, he fixed Lin with a puzzled expression.

"I don't get it," Mako said, at length. "This is just like the last case."

"A bit," Lin agreed. "But, if you read closely, you'll notice that all the people mentioned in the file have connections to the some triad or other."

"I still don't get it," Mako said. "I thought this was an actual case. Not a string of petty robberies; I thought we were leaving those to different units."

"We are," Lin agreed. "But, there's something going on and I'm determined to get to the bottom of it. Raiko seems to think this matter isn't worth looking into, but…"

"You're going to look into it anyway," Mako guessed.

Lin gave a small smile. "Did you expect anything less?"

Mako shook his head.

"So," he wondered. "What's so special about this case that it needs our attention now?"

Lin shrugged. "How should I know? All of I'm certain of is, something is going on. Ever since Kuvira destroyed half the city, the police force has been too busy trying to restore order and balance to the city to really keep up on what these goons are doing. As of now, we've got most of the task force mobilized in the sectors that sustained the most damage and those are all areas well away from haunts these guys have been known to frequent."

"Oh. I think i get it," Mako said, deliberating for a moment. "With the forces concentrated on those areas, the triads would basically be able to operate the way they used to without worrying about us."

"Exactly," Lin said. She sounded a bit melancholy and Mako wondered why. "They could, if they wanted to, operate the way they used to. They could continue their petty turf wars, extort money, and all those silly things they did and honestly, at this point, we wouldn't be in much of a position to stop them. Not really, anyway. And, as foolish as they are, they aren't all stupid. They're probably aware of this. So, I want to know why they're busy stealing cloth and bits of scrap metal instead of doing what they normally do?"

"It is odd," Mako admitted.

"Korra tells me you're good with the triads."

Mako shrugged. "I ran some numbers for them back in the day," He said, casually. If he was expecting Lin to be surprised, she wasn't. "I'm not so sure how that can help."

"You'd know the triad hierarchy better than most of us. The Triple Threats are at the top, aren't they?"

Mako shrugged. "Something like that. Their hierarchy is a mess, so I couldn't really give you a definite answer, but the Triple Threats tend be more resourceful, so they have a better success rate when it comes to pulling heists and such. There isn't really one triad that's the most powerful or anything, but the Triple Threats are as close as it gets."

"This is exactly why I told that buffoon…" Lin paused and considered her wording before speaking again. "I told Raiko this was something worth looking into, but he refuses to listen. He thinks it's best to leave them alone, even after I told him this whole thing reeks of conspiracy. What happens if the Triple Threats shift their focus onto something else?"

"You mean all this odd stuff they're collecting?" Mako wondered, plucking a paper from the pile and scanning the contents. Lin nodded. "Depends on how ambitious the other triads are feeling, I guess. If they think they stand a chance, they'll make a bid for the Triple Threats' power."

Lin grimaced. "Thought so. You know, I have half a mind to just let your girlfriend deal with Raiko and convince the idiot to let me move officers from the portal to triad territory. This is the last thing we need."

Mako blushed and hoped Lin didn't see the way he flinched.

"Korra's not my girlfriend," he mumbled, wishing that was a lie. "And anyway, I still don't see why this is so important. I mean, why worry about this now?"

"Why not?" Lin challenged. "Nothing's happening at the portals, anyway. Raiko's a fool for stationing officers there. There's nothing we can do. If i were president, I'd…."

"Throw him off the nearest cliff?" Mako guessed.

Lin glared at him, but the mischievous glint in her eyes told him he wasn't far off.

"Something like that," She mumbled. "I can't disobey the president directly, but that doesn't mean I'm going to listen to someone like him. Not a soul is entering that portal; most people are too scared or too concerned trying to salvage their possessions and find someplace to live to really worry about the stupid portal. But, Raiko insists on stationing troops there. Meanwhile, the triads have the entire eastern sector at their disposal and if turf wars start now….well, we won't be in much of a position to handle it, as I said."

"So, you want me to do what exactly?"

"Investigate, detective. What else? I've been on this force for decades and I've seen enough triads come and go to know that they're only concerned about money and power. After thirty some-odd years, one triad moving away from that and focusing on imported goods of all things is…"

"Unorthodox?" Mako suggested.

"That and highly unusual. And while these guys are mostly pigheaded, a few of them have common sense and must have some reason behind it. I want to know their motive, but I don't necessarily want Raiko to know we're carrying out this investigation."

Mako frowned, his amber eyes glancing at the "DENIED" stamp Raiko had placed over Lin's request for extra troops in triad territory.

"Can he stop you from positioning people there?"

"Not really. I mean, he's got control over the military and such and his power does extend to my officers, but it stops there. Detectives are another matter. He's got no control over you…or the rookies, for that matter. So, technically speaking, he can't stop me from posting people there. It's just…"Lin sighed, sliding into a chair propped up in the corner and passing a hand over her face. "I'm in no mood to get into an argument with him and listen to him lecture me on the importance of keeping officers near the portal. And, I'd like to avoid using the rookies if I can."

"I'll look into this," Mako promised. "But, I'll need help."

Lin nodded. "Saikhan's also been assigned to his case. And there's a couple of rookies who're almost ready to formally join the force; this will be their first case, but I'm sure they'd be valuable assets; I think I can afford to let them work on this case. But, I can't have more than half a dozen rookies help you. The others are too young and inexperienced and if something goes wrong, I don't want to have to call their families and tell them the bad news."

"Half a dozen is more than enough," Mako said. "But, Saikhan? I thought you said Raiko ordered all officers to…"

Lin barked a laugh. "Well, maybe I told him Saikhan wasn't an officer."

"And he bought it?"

"He'd probably buy it if I told him I was the Earth Queen's daughter. It's not like he knows or cares about the officers. He just wants as many as possible to help keep the city safe." She grumbled. "His definition of **_safe_** needs a lot of work."

"I'm still curious about Saikhan though. Why him?"

Lin shrugged. "He's a good guy to have on the team. Pretty bright…most of the time, anyway. He'll be able to help. Besides, he shares my…let's call it opinion, of Raiko. He's been briefed and agrees this would make more sense looking into, than just having officers stationed in front of a spirit portal."

Mako was about to make another comment, but was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. He glanced up just in time to see Korra enter. The Avatar must've been in a good mood because she was smiling and her eyes were sparkling and Mako had to consciously fight the urge to just walk up to her and kiss her right there.

"Can I borrow Mako, Lin?"

"He's all yours, kid." She said, standing up.

_If only she knew how true that was_, Mako thought, sighing to himself.

"Bolin, Opal, and I were going to Narook's for dinner. Want to join us?"

Mako looked at the case file on his desk and sighed. "I should really get on this case."

"Go eat something, kid," Lin said. "Trying to solve this on an empty stomach won't help."

"Alright," he acquiesced. "See you tomorrow, Chief."

Lin nodded, ambling past them and muttering something about kids under her breath.

"Have a nice date," she called, not bothering to turn around as she walked down the corridor. "And detective?"

"Yeah?" Mako responded.

"You better report to work tomorrow, on time. No exceptions."

Korra blinked, somewhat confused, but Mako blushed crimson.

"That was one time," he grumbled. "And it wasn't my fault. She took my hat and wouldn't give it back, and…"

He trailed off, noticing Korra had caught on. He decided to keep quiet before he embarrassed himself further.

"Thanks, Chief." He grumbled as Lin's laughter echoed throughout the halls. Sighing in resignation, he slipped on his overcoat and gestured for Korra to follow. "Let's just get out of here."

Mako hadn't realized how late it was, but when he and Korra left that station, the sun had already set. The streets were fairly crowded as they walked to Narook's but Mako found he didn't mind it so much. It gave him an excuse to walk closer to Korra without embarrassing himself. The two mostly walked in silence. Mako had hoped they'd find something to talk about, but being with Korra again was as easy as it had always been (which is to say not easy at all). Still, he fell back into familiar patterns and the two walked in comfortable silence for most of their journey. At last, however, the silence between them became too much for Mako, so he tried for some small talk.

"So," he wondered. "What's Opal up to these days?" Being on the task force, he didn't get to see much of his brother's girlfriend. Usually, when Bolin dropped by, it was without Opal in tow.

Korra shrugged. "The usual, I guess. Tenzin's got her teaching now, I think. Suits her well."

"She and Bolin are going to meet us at Narook's?" Mako asked.

Korra tried not to think too hard about his choice of words, but she did like the sound of "us."  
"Yeah." She replied, hoping she wasn't blushing. "Knowing Bolin, he's probably already there."

"And Asami?"

Korra smiled. "She's got a date of her own tonight. At Kwong's."

"With who?" Mako demanded. He couldn't recall any mention of someone.

Korra laughed. "Well, date is the wrong word. Business deal is more accuarate. Some stuffy, old guy., who's interested in some partnership or something, I don't know. But, she said this deal was pretty important, so I didn't bother her about an invitation. Future Industries is doing well again and I'm glad things are looking up for her. Figured I should probably let her enjoy her dinner and her success. I don't want to bother her."

You'd never bother anyone, Mako wanted to say. But, he kept his mouth shut.

"So…" Korra said, running a hand through her hair and trying to keep the wind from blowing it in her face. "Anything exciting happen at the station?"

"Lots of stuff," Mako replied. "This rookie, Sun, fell asleep at his desk. At 3:04, Yao got up to use the restroom. And Song spilled sake on her papers. Oh, and Lin sneezed four times once."

"Uh….:

Mako gave a small chuckle. "No, nothing exciting happened."

"Was that sarcasm, City Boy? Didn't know you had it in you," Korra teased.

Mako smiled, a real, genuine smile and Korra was pleased to note that the old Mako she knew (and loved, a little voice insisted) was still there.

"It's been a while since I've heard that nickname," He admitted, sounding a little wistful.

"I could call you City Boy from now on?" Korra offered, laughing.

"No, I'm good."

They lapsed into silence again, before Mako spoke.

"So, anything exciting happen with you?"

Korra shook her head. "No, not really."

Mako hoped she'd say something else, but Korra left it at that.

"Your hair grew a little longer," he blurted out, mentally berating himself as soon as that sentence passed his lips.

Korra chuckled. "I think you're the only one that noticed."

"I like it like that," the firebender offered.

"You do? You think it didn't look good before?"

Korra couldn't figure out why they were discussing this. She'd never really cared much about her appearance in regards to people's approval of it, but somehow, she wanted Mako's.

"You know what I think," the firebender mumbled softly, thankful the darkness hid his blush. Mako wished he was better at this relationship thing, that he could just look her in the eye and tell her she was beautiful no matter what, and that his feelings had never changed since the beginning. But he was never good with words. He wanted to say something, but he couldn't quite figure out what. Thankfully, though, he didn't have to. Korra saved him, by pointing out the obvious.

"Oh, look. We're at Narook's."

Wordlessly, Mako held open the door and waited for her to enter. Korra breezed past him and Mako followed her, wondering if he imagined the blush he saw on her face.

Maybe, he thought to himself, this wasn't such a bad idea. Maybe this dinner would turn out to be good, after all.


	3. Chapter 2

Narook's Noodlery was buzzing with activity when Mako and Korra entered. Amidst all the chaos and the din and roar of denizens eating, it was hard to see or even hear Bolin beckoning them over and calling their names, but it wasn't too long before they found the earthbender seated in decent sized booth in the corner with Opal, who was occupied trying to keep Pabu from eating the appetizers and knocking over their drinks. Mako's first instinct was to berate his brother for even bringing Pabu along, but he'd have been lying if he'd said he wasn't excited to see both of them.

"Mako! You made it! I knew Korra would be able to get you out of your office!" Bolin remarked as he hugged his older brother.

"Thanks, Bolin," Mako noted, his cheeks flushing slightly.

"We're just glad you could join us!" Opal clarified, finally able to calm the fire ferret down enough to perch on her shoulder.

"Yeah, it's been awhile. I heard you started training the new recruits. Sounds great!" Mako remarked.

"That's my awesome girlfriend, everybody!" Bolin cheered as he hugged Opal.

Mako didn't know why, but his eyes shifted to Korra for a second, and he had to remind himself that they were most definitely not together.

"It's been fun," Opal admitted. "At least, more so than I thought it would be."

"So," Bolin wondered, using the subject of work as a segue. "What've you been up to?"

Mako shrugged. He wasn't sure how much of his work life he wanted to divulge (and how much of it was actually interesting) but he found himself telling the others about some of his recent cases. He wasn't sure if they'd really care to hear it, but he figured the subject of work was a better one than his love life (a non-existent one at that) or something equally embarrassing.

"Lin just put me on a new case," he said. "And she was hoping you'd knock some sense into the President, Korra."

"I'm not going anywhere near Raiko unless it's absolutely necessary," Korra vowed.

"He's getting to you too, huh?"

"The man has lost his mind! He's posting hundreds of officers around the portal when they could actually be helping with the clean up."

"Yeah, I think that's weird, too," Opal agreed. "We're spread thin as is."

"Guys, guys!" Bolin interrupted. "We're not here to discuss our boring work, okay? Right now, we're going to enjoy a fun dinner."

Mako would've liked to say he had a good time and generally speaking, he did. But it didn't last too long before Bolin and Opal's banter became a painful reminder of his relationship with Korra. He didn't want to sit through that all evening long, so he was more than grateful when Korra suggested ditching them early and heading somewhere else.

"Let's leave the lovebirds to themselves, shall we?" She asked quietly.

"Thanks," Mako sighed and followed her out after politely excusing themselves.

"I'm sorry you didn't have much fun," Korra said as soon as they walked out into the street.

"It's not your fault. I'm not… ready to be around happy couples just yet."

"It is my fault; we really haven't talked too much about it, and…"

"Listen, Korra," Mako began as he took her hand in his. "I said I'd wait forever if I had to, and I meant it. I still do. You need time, and I'll give you that. Just promise me you won't disappear again."

She kissed him on the cheek and smiled. "I'll try not to."

He didn't expect his cheeks to heat up and redden the way they did, but smiled all the same. "I'll walk you home."

* * *

Disgusting was the first word that came to mind when Ami surveyed the scene around her. The room was dimly lit and smelled of burned chemicals and odd mixtures. Canisters lay strewn across the wooden floor amongst a couple of unconscious figures who seemed to be tied up.

"This concoction seems to have fared better," Ami observed as she looked at the canister in her hand.

"But it still doesn't have the intended effect. They're not supposed to just pass out. How's that going to help us against the Avatar?" Hana complained.

"Patience, Hana," Ami warned calmly. "It's a work-in-progress. By the time we're finished, the Avatar won't stand a chance."

"Ami's right," a third voice cut in. It was Shen, their boss' second in command. "We'll get it right, But for now, put these poor people out of their misery. Make sure they don't remember any of this. Oh, and Hana? Clean up properly. The last thing we need is for Chief Beifong's stupid squad to find out what we've been up to."

Hana gulped and nodded. She could take Shen, sure. But posing a threat to him would mean disrespecting his boss. And she'd seen how brutal he could be.

"He's a total creep," Hana muttered once she was sure Shen couldn't hear her.

"We're finally in with the big guys now, Hana. We can't complain about how we got there," Ami reminded her.

"Speak for yourself!" Hana scoffed. "If Amon were here…"

"Well he isn't!" Ami said, tersely.. "And he lied to us. So shut it! Let's clean this place up. It needs to be ready for the tests tomorrow."

Hana chose not to reply and busied herself with the task of having the poor, unfortunate souls they'd tested their secret weapon on miraculously transported back to their families. The Triads had thus far been successful in laying down a false trail for the Police to chase, so they saw no reason to think otherwise this time.

"I just don't like what they're planning," Hana admitted once she was done loading them into the back of their van. "Did you see the last ingredient they asked us to collect?"

Ami sighed and smoothed her dress before patting Hana's shoulder gently. "It's one, big job, Hana. The last one. I know we've had to do some pretty shady stuff on the way, but this is it. After this we'll be out of the City and living our own life just the way we planned. I promise."

Hana simply smiled. "I hope so."

And, together, they drove out of the place and into the back alleys of Republic City, hoping no one would spot them.

* * *

The chilly wind blew across his face as he returned home on his sled. He wasn't one to usually thank the Spirits, but ever since his daughter opened the portals about five years ago, he'd learned to respect them in his own way.

Tonraq pulled up beside his house and unmounted, hefting two large sacks with necessary provisions for the coming weeks. He was hoping to just store them away and relax, but when he opened the door, Senna was waiting for him with a grim expression on her face.

"We have a visitor," She said, pointing at a hooded figure sharpening a blade before the hearth. "Go talk to her. I'll take care of these."

Tonraq handed her one sack and set the other one on the floor before making his way over to the hooded stranger.

"Any news?" He wondered, taking a seat and warming himself up.

The figure nodded. "They're close," she said.

Tonraq frowned. "Do they know?"

"Hard to say, but the brotherhood is looking into it. Still, one does hear rumors."

"Such as?"

The woman stopped polishing her blade and thrust it into her scabbard. "They say the President's men found something valuable."

Tonraq frowned. "That can't be good."

"It isn't," His companion replied, grimly. "We have no way of knowing if it's true, but all the same, I think it's time."

The chief nodded. "What about my daughter?"

"She's safe. For now."

"That's not very reassuring."

The woman smiled. "No, perhaps not. But she's very much like her father, I find. So hard to restrain once she finds something new to do. You knew we couldn't do more than keep an eye on her and help her when she needed it."

"I know," Tonraq sighed. "Still, a father's instincts, you know."

"Yes. You want to protect her and understandably so. Well, Chief Tonraq, now is your chance. The bureau awaits."

Tonraq nodded and turned to face Senna who had just entered.

"I'm afraid I won't be in town for a bit."

Senna nodded. "I suspected as much. Anything you need?"

"No,:" Tonraq replied. "Just the next outgoing passenger liner schedule. The Republic City bureau beckons."


	4. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **Thanks once again for all the follows and reviews, guys! We're incredibly touched that we came up with something that you guys liked! In the last chapter, we'd left Tonraq in a somewhat mysterious role... you'll understand more about that here. Oh, and... have a little dose of Makorra just because XD. Let us know if you like it!_

* * *

Republic City was oddly silent that night, as Mako and Korra headed to her apartment. Korra didn't really feel the need to have an escort, but she was glad for the company, so she didn't protest as Mako walked beside her, rambling about Raiko's orders and how aggravating he was. In all honesty, it was refreshing to finally be able to talk to someone who shared similar views regarding the President; Mako may not have worked with Raiko for long, but it was pretty clear the President's lack of approval on Mako's current case was annoying.

"He doesn't even know what he's doing. I'm convinced he's...Korra, are you even listening?"

"What? Sorry. I was…"

"Zoning out?" Mako laughed. "I could tell."

"Sorry…"

"Don't worry about it. What were you thinking about?" Mako asked.

"Just… I'm glad we're talking again," Korra replied.

Mako gulped, his mind floating back to when they'd agreed not to rush into anything and how he'd once again tried to distance himself from her… and how she'd once again refused to be shut out from his life.

"Me too," he finally replied. "Thanks for putting up with me."

She simply smiled. "You're worth it," she assured him.

They lapsed into silence for the rest of the walk, before Korra stopped in front of a small, newly constructed house, closer to the edge of the city. Here, Republic City's skyline gave way to a mini-suburbs of sorts. Mako had heard a lot about this place. It wasn't easy to find a house here because it was so close to the city and yet retained some semblance of the suburbs.

"Well, this is my stop," She said.

Mako let out a low whistle. "Fancy."

"It's not much," Korra admitted. "But it's home. Want to come in?"

Mako nodded and followed her, pausing only for a second as she unlocked the small gate that encircled a yard of a decent size. A couple of chew toys, courtesy of Naga, were strewn around the yard, but Korra paid them little attention as she led Mako up the short path to her house.

Mako wasn't sure what to expect when he actually saw the interior of the house, but it certainly wasn't this. The interior was simple, almost utterly devoid of any decoration. Aside from a drawing courtesy of little Rohan, and the occasional memento from Korra's travels, there wasn't much else.

"Somehow, this isn't what I expected," Mako admitted.

Korra shrugged. "Well, I have to be careful with stuff around my roommate."

"Is she the stealing type?" Mako wondered.

"No, not really. Just clumsy. I don't spend time decorating this place because she'd probably break something. Want to meet her?"

"Uh…"

Mako was saved from a response when something large and white tackled him to the floor. All he saw was pink as Naga bounded in circles around him and licked him. Korra had to try hard (and that was saying something) to pry her off so Mako could actually breathe. Once he managed to stand up and catch his breath without Naga tackling him, Korra grinned.

"Now you'll understand why I can't have a ton of decorations about the place."

"Your roommate is a polar bear dog. Somehow that makes perfect sense."

Korra only laughed. Naga's tail was wagging so furiously that Mako swore the house was shaking.

"It's odd," Mako said at length. "I've passed by this place almost everyday on my way to work and I've never once seen Naga or you."

Korra blinked. "You live in the area?"

Mako just gestured to an apartment building about a block down the street that was just barely visible from her window.

"And you work the first shift?" Korra asked. Mako nodded and Korra descended into laughter.

Mako was confused. "Um...did I say something funny?"

Korra shook her head. "I just...all this time, I thought Naga was watching me leave. Sometimes she gets weird. I can't take her with me to a lot of the big meetings because of those stuffy old people, and I usually leave her at home. She sits inside and watches me leave through the window. A couple of my neighbors say she doesn't budge until the mail arrives. I always thought it was because she was bored, but if you've been going this way, you probably pass by the house after I leave. She was probably waiting for you."

Naga's affirmation came in the response of another lick.

"Maybe she was just bored and waiting for you?" Mako suggested.

"Doubt it. If she really was bored, she'd sleep all day. And besides, in all the years we've known each other, she's never once watched me leave. Sometimes I wonder if she even notices when I leave."

Naga's tail smacked Korra straight in the face and Mako had to suppress a laugh.

"Yeah yeah, love you too," Korra laughed, shoving her tail away.

Mako smiled, but it faded when he realized the hour.

"I'd better head home. I'll see you around?"

Korra nodded, but stopped him before he crossed the threshold.

"This new place of yours...when can I see it?"

Mako blanched. "You want to see it?" He echoed, dumbly.

"That is what is meant when someone asks to see an apartment," Korra laughed. "Come on, City Boy. How bad can it be?"

"I thought… I mean it's already late, and-" Mako said vaguely.

"Have you got anything worth hiding?"

"Uh…"

"Are you secretly collecting something?" She teased.

Mako looked confused.

"Not collecting anything," he mumbled.

Korra soon found that was a partial lie. When she finally roped Mako into letting her accompany him, she'd been expecting to find out about some sort of secret upon entering his apartment. But, it was as neat and tidy as his previous apartments had always been and there wasn't much worth noting other than a wall littered with clippings tacked above a small desk.

"So you do have a collection," Korra said, smirking. "Let me guess: damsels in distress?" Mako shook his head. "Kittens stuck up trees in the park?"

"Nope."

"Robbers you've pinned behind bars?"

"No," Mako repeated as he tried to shield them from her view. It almost did the trick considering he was a head taller than her, shielding her eyes from anything over his shoulders.

"Mako, quit it!" Korra warned as he tried to keep her hands from reaching one of the clippings. And then she saw a picture of herself on a few of them.

The clippings catalogued everywhere she'd been in the last couple of years with the Earth Federation, along with an accurate travel timeline. She couldn't believe he'd taken the trouble, and it was almost too much for her to not pay attention to the sudden constriction in her chest.

"You've been keeping track of my whereabouts," she observed.

"Yeah, I… I know I'd been angry with you before you left, so I… I mean I've always… Yeah," Mako replied vaguely so as to not freak her out.

"I've got to say, Officer, you're very thorough," Korra teased. "I had no idea I'd been away that long."

"Well you did have a lot of stuff to take care of," Mako reminded her.

"I did," Korra agreed. "I wasn't... I really wasn't in a good place for a long time after what happened with Zaheer. And I let you down because of it."

Mako simply placed his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. "You did what you had to do. Anyway, do you want some tea? I could..."

"I think I've stayed long enough for this visit," Korra joked. "I should get back."

Mako looked out the window and smirked. "It's late already. And as a police officer, I can't let you walk back alone."

Korra laughed at that. "Are you suggesting that I stay back here?"

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Mako replied.

"I'm not gonna sleep in these," Korra deadpanned as she gestured at her clothes.

Mako's eyes widened just a bit as he remembered something. "I think I might have something," he finally said and disappeared into his bedroom to get something.

Curious, she followed him and found that he was holding on to a pair of her old pajamas and a tank top that she'd left with him five years ago when they were together.

"How do you still have these with you?" she asked.

"There was never a good time to return them," he shrugged.

Korra simply sighed and took them from him. "Thanks. This helps."

"The bathroom's right over there," Mako pointed to a place behind her so she could change.

He went into the kitchen to make them some tea in the time she took to change into the clothes he'd given her. His mind kept going back to the day she'd come to see him about two months ago after her long trip to the Earth Federation. They had decided that as much as they cared for each other, it was best not to jump into a relationship at the time… they had decided to wait until things settled down. But now he began to wonder if they ever would,

"Thanks for these," Korra said as she stood behind him. Mako simply smiled at her, and she noticed he wasn't as happy as he seemed.

"Mako, I know this hasn't been easy for you," she began. "I'll understand if you don't ever want to get involved with me again. All you have to do is tell me."

Mako stopped pouring the tea into the cups he'd set on the counter and turned around to face her.

"I once told you that I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. I still mean that. For now, I'm fine with us being friends if that's what you want. Now drink up," Mako said as he offered her some tea.

"Thanks," Korra replied as she sipped it.

"You can sleep on the bed," Mako offered, when he'd finished his tea. "I'll sleep out here."

"I am not stealing your bed for the night. I'll be fine on the couch." Korra said.

"But…"

"I'll be fine, Mako. Honest."

The firebender sighed. Her tone made it quite clear she wasn't going to listen to him. Of course, he'd known she'd insist on not sleeping on his bed, but he had no idea that she'd go to the extreme of slinging him over her shoulder to physically put him there. Resigned to his fate, he sighed and bid her goodnight.

* * *

The Assassins' Den in Republic City had been deliberately disguised as an inconspicuous inn. At the very least, it looked too old fashioned to be labeled as of of the city's most happening joints. It was about four in the morning when Tonraq arrived, and while he was glad he could follow the same clock here as he would have back home, the task he had ahead of him was one he wasn't too thrilled about. Exhaling, he rapped the door with the brass knocker three times.

"Welcome back, brother," the den leader greeted. "I hope your journey didn't give you too much trouble."

"Not at all," Tonraq assured him. "What news did our informants provide?"

"Come with me," the leader gestured and Tonraq followed him into what he assumed were the sleeping quarters for the visitors lodging there.

Instead, he was led to a meeting room of sorts. A few men and women were already present, seated around a large wooden table while a warm fire flickered in the hearth.

"Have you all been waiting for me?" Tonraq asked.

"Not for very long,Chief Tonraq," one of the women remarked. "You've proven your worth and your skills and expertise are required, so we waited."

"I appreciate the kind words, sister" Tonraq replied with a smile. "But that was a very long time ago."

"Be that as it may," the woman countered, "you and your wife have always been important members of our creed. Your input is always valued."

Tonraq just smiled graciously and took a seat, deftly changing the subject to something other than his past. "What information do we have?"

"They're closing in on the sword," the den leader spoke up. "And it's close to the location this City's portal provides access to."

"You're not suggesting…?" Tonraq began, frowning.

"Avatar Korra had no reason to believe that her actions would cause a rip in the very fabric that separates the planes of our world and that of the spirits. We do not blame her, Tonraq. We're merely giving you specifics," the man replied.

"What's stopping them from just taking it?" Tonraq questioned. "Raiko's officers have surrounded the portal. We've known for a while about the cause he serves."

"They have yet to ascertain its precise location," the leader of the council said. "As for why they haven't taken it, we have your daughter to thank for that."

"What do you mean?"

"The few years of her recovery aside," council leader began, "your daughter has become quite a force to be reckoned with. She seems to have mastered the ability to sense any mortal presence in the Spirit World with Raava's help. At least that's what she told Raiko."

Tonraq sighed, thanking the spirits and Senna silently for giving him such a resilient daughter. He'd known right from the start that she was as strong as her mother and as stubborn as he himself had ever been.

"But we're still going to keep a lookout?" he asked the group.

"Of course. We're not entirely certain if she was bluffing to get Raiko off her case or telling the truth, and we have no way of knowing for sure if your daughter is capable of such a thing, so for now, we will keep a lookout. Mainly because they seem to be busy with a new project of sorts. We haven't heard much, but what we have heard is troubling."

"Which is?" Tonraq asked.

"They plan to remove her from the picture entirely," one of the council members stated plainly.

Tonraq laughed. "Let them try. They're no match for her."

"I'm afraid it's not as simple as you think. It's not just Raiko's men we have to worry about."

"I don't understand," Tonraq said. "If Raiko's men aren't the problem, what is?"

"Alone, Raiko's men aren't too much of a hassle. To be honest, with the skills your daughter possesses, defeating them wouldn't be too hard. But, we've caught wind of something else. A plot, you could say."

"To remove my daughter?"

"I cannot tell you the particulars; we don't know much. Just rumors. Our brother, Han, is in the police force. Just an initiate and a rookie, but Chief Beifong has put him on a case."

"What case and how does it involve my daughter?"

"Patience, brother. I am getting to that. Han's team is investigating triad activity."

"A rookie investigating? Isn't that unusual?"

"Precisely the point. Chief Beifong requested additional troops to station in the city's eastern sector."

"Triad territory?" Tonraq guessed.

The man nodded. "Yes. A request that Raiko denied."

"I fail to see your point."

"With the eastern sector virtually free of police activity, the triads have the run of the place. But instead of going back to their ways- turf wars and all those silly things- they've essentially stopped and they're focusing on imported goods of all things."

"Well, it's not as if they have much of a turf with all this destruction Kuvira caused," Tonraq pointed out.

"Regardless of that, Raiko's not a fool. He's got an image to maintain and he's left that sector open, almost utterly devoid of police activity. I cannot tell you whether that was done intentionally or not, but whatever the case, it's done. And yet, despite that, the triads are focusing on imported goods."

"All of them?"

"I don't know for sure, but it's odd, to say the least. My point is this: the case hasn't progressed very far and not much is known about the triads motives. But, they're a fickle lot; if they think they can gain something, they'll do anything. If this case is somehow connected to Raiko, then he'd have a good deal of resources from the triads. If Raiko and the triads are working together to remove your daughter or cause general havoc, well...they're in a better position to succeed than we are. We're spread thin, as it is."

"No!" Tonraq's outraged cry echoed across the room they were in. "Involve the Police force! Their chief Lin… she knows my daughter! She'd be able to help her!"

"We're not exactly in the Police Force's good graces, Tonraq. Some of us are highly wanted, as you are well aware," the den leader reminded him.

Tonraq growled in frustration at their blatant disregard for his daughter's safety. He couldn't believe that after everything she'd done to help them, albeit unknowingly, they were willing to let her die if remaining silent helped their cause.

"We called you here because you'd be able to help protect her and our cause," the council leader said.

Tonraq didn't exactly feel too comforted by it, but decided against creating a scene. He settled for a curt nod.

"Very well, then. If we find anything at all regarding the artifact's whereabouts, can we count on you to help us protect it?"

"Why else would I be here?" Tonraq deadpanned. "I came here at your request. And I'm willing to help you because it'd also be in my daughter's best interests. But let this remind you why I left and what my terms are."

"This council is now adjourned," the council leader declared and the group disbanded and retreated to their individual tasks. Tonraq sighed and decided that he'd best visit his daughter just to check on her, if not anything else. He turned to go, but was stopped by a familiar figure.

"Do not misunderstand us, Tonraq," said the assassin who had accompanied him from his home. "Not all of us are so callous that we'd disregard any danger your daughter might be in. But our goal, first and foremost, must be to ensure that the artifacts do not fall into the wrong hands. If they do, Avatar Korra's safety, even our own safety, means nothing because no one will be safe."

"That still doesn't make me feel any better about all this," the waterbender grumbled.

"I didn't think it would," his companion said, smiling softly. "But rest assured that Korra will be protected. Your friend, Chief Beifong, will make sure of it."

"Lin is in on this?"

"In a manner of speaking. She's aware of Han's role and she's fully cooperative. But she can't exactly provide us much aid; we are mostly wanted people, after all, and she'd be forced to turn us in. And she doesn't exactly have the best experience with the assassins. I think she's a lot like you in that regard."

"Me? What have I ever…?"

The woman laughed. "You've always chafed under the rules, at least after your daughter was born. I believe Lin was very much the same. Perhaps it's a good thing she didn't join us after all."

"Didn't even know she was offered," Tonraq said, setting off down the corridor in the hopes of finding the kitchen to grab a quick bite before he set off in search for his daughter.

"Oh, it was a long time ago. I was very young. Heard she caused quite a fuss, nearly destroyed the den and all that. She wanted nothing to do with us and our old leader, you remember him, was always insistent about getting good benders to join us. He was a good man, but not quite sensible in that regard. In any event, Lin will see to it that Korra is safe if she's in any real danger. And I imagine Master Tenzin is keeping an eye out for her too, so you needn't worry too much."

"Korra's my daughter; I always worry. Any idea where I can find this address?" he asked her as he handed her a scrap of paper.

The woman fished a piece of paper out from her pocket and spread it out on the table for Tonraq to see. It was a small section of a map of the city, and she surveyed it for a second before circling an area on the map.

"That's the area the address should be in, but as to where it is exactly...well, that's something you'll have to find out. I don't know how often she stays there."

Tonraq just thanked her and set off once more, hoping to find his daughter. He and Korra had a lot of catching up to do.


	5. Chapter 4

_**A/N: **__We're back with a new chapter! Thanks so much for all the kind reviews and follows. It means so much to us that you're enjoying this story as much as we're having fun writing it! Enjoy the Makorra!_

_**Edit:** We've had to make some slight formatting changes to this chapter... our bad. :P Nothing major.. Still, we hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Korra couldn't sleep.

As comfortable as Mako's couch was, she kept tossing and turning, still awake and thinking of what Mako had said.

_"I once told you that I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. I still mean that. For now, I'm fine with us being friends if that's what you want."_

But what _did_ she want? Was rekindling what they had all that scary? Why was she so scared of going down that road again? Especially when she'd been so sure about him from the moment they'd met?

"This isn't helping," Korra muttered to herself as she threw the blanket off herself and sat up. She sighed and walked towards the kitchen to get some water when she noticed the little pin up board with the clippings he'd collected. She also noticed a small desk just below it and it hit her that he'd made that particular corner his work space.

"Might as well have a look if I'm not sleeping," she thought to herself as she sat on the chair in front of the desk. There was hardly anything on it apart from a pen stand and a few case files. She idly opened one of the drawers and found a little black book that she remembered from their stakeout five years ago.

"His log book," Korra recalled. She didn't know whether it was okay for her to look, and for a while she even considered putting it back. But her curiosity got the better of her and she decided it wouldn't do much harm to take a look.

It seemed like just another ordinary log book with dates and times of suspicious activity on cases he'd worked on. She was about to put it down when it accidentally flipped to a page with a sketch. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at her own face staring up at her.

"You idiot," she groused as she flipped the pages and found several others. She shut the book to put it back in the drawer when she saw a very familiar picture. Looking at her eighteen year old self so happy and carefree with Mako made her wish that she'd never blown up at him the way she had… or maybe if she hadn't let him go so easily, things might've been different.

"It was for the best back then," she thought to herself. "You needed time apart to learn from those mistakes."

But she couldn't understand why they couldn't have done it together and not lost five years in the process.

"Enough," she told herself and put it back. That's when her hand grazed a stack of papers; some of them with her name on it.

She kept telling herself that he must've kept them hidden away for a reason; that she shouldn't pry. But once again, she couldn't resist. She had to know why he was keeping this hidden from her. As it turned out, they were letters he'd written to her but never sent. Some of them were from five years ago, when she'd been away, recovering. Some of them were a little more recent.

* * *

_Korra, I don't know if I'm ever going to send this to you, but I have to write it down so I don't regret never telling you in some form. I'm so glad you survived what happened. I honestly don't know what I would've done otherwise. I hope you get better soon, and maybe we can finally talk about sorting out the mess we'd made. Lots of love, Mako._

* * *

_Korra, I really hope you're doing alright. I'm just worried because… well I haven't heard from you at all. I'm sure you have a reason for not being able to reply. Just know that I'm here for you, if you ever need me. I know you'll be back on your feet in no time. Take care._

* * *

She still didn't get why he hadn't sent these to her, but she felt guilty for leaving him out of the loop for three years straight. Then she found one he'd written after she'd returned.

* * *

_Korra, I can't tell you how glad I am that you've come back. I'd been worried when your dad came in and told us you'd left six months ago. But I guess you needed some time to sort things out. I guess some things have changed between us, and some haven't. All I can hope for now is that once Kuvira is taken care of, we might finally be able to talk about making amends. Only if you want to, of course._

* * *

And she'd left with Asami almost immediately after Varrick and Zhu Li's wedding. She finally understood why he'd been so angry.

"He should've talked to me about it beforehand!" she cursed as she put the stack back. "UGH! Why did we both have to be so stupid?" She tried not to look at the next one, but when she saw Asami's name in the letter, she couldn't help herself.

* * *

_Korra, I really don't know what else to say, except… that I hope you and Asami are happy together. I hope she cares for you the way I never could, and I hope she doesn't disappoint you the way I did. I'm not sure if I can stay in touch all that much, what with my work and all… Take care of yourself. You deserve nothing less._

"Stinking crab puffs!" she cursed as she grabbed the stack and stomped towards his bedroom, fully intending to chew him out for not talking to her about any of this.

* * *

Mako didn't know what was going on. One minute he was having a pleasant dream and the next, he was being rudely awakened by someone.

"What the- hey! Korra, quit it!" he yelled.

"You idiot! You could've told me!" Korra fired back, punctuating every word with a smack to his head using his pillow.

"OW! Told you what, exactly?"

"All this!" she yelled as she threw the stack of letters at him.

Mako took one look at them and sighed. "You… weren't supposed to read them."

"Well, sorry if my mind wanders when I can't sleep!" Korra deadpanned.

"Korra-"

"And the note behind the picture! Why? Just why couldn't you tell me?" Korra asked as she showed him what he'd written.

_Korra, I might return this one day when I don't feel the need to hold on to it anymore. I'm sorry I disappointed you._

"Well, I-"

"Did you even know how much it hurt me to let go of you?" she asked him, tearing up like she did when he'd first said those awful things to her five years ago.

"Then why did you?" Mako yelled. "You let go of me five years ago! You were the one who said we didn't work!"

"Because you said we couldn't be together anymore!" she retorted. "You said there wasn't any room for us!"

"I told you… I regretted it as soon as I said it," Mako replied quietly, not wanting a repeat of that fight. "I still keep thinking about how I could've explained it to you differently… But you were so angry, and…"

"I wasn't actually angry with you, Mako… I just… the situation wasn't getting any better at home and the only plan I had was failing. I took it out on you when I shouldn't have," Korra admitted.

"I know that now," Mako replied as he took her hands in his. "I know it was hard on you and you even tried to do the right thing. But that doesn't matter anymore. We've learned our lessons now, haven't we?"

"Looks like I still haven't," Korra scoffed. "I hurt you so many times, and…"

"Consider it payback for the times I made you cry when you didn't deserve it," Mako offered. "Not that you ever deserved it."

She simply kissed him in reply, finally deciding to let go of any doubts she had. Mako responded just as enthusiastically, and for the first time since their breakup, they finally found no reason to hold back.

"You know," Mako tried to say between kisses, "I can take the day off if you want..."

"No more talking," Korra said as she held him down and kissed him again.

* * *

Tonraq decided that navigating through the streets of Republic City was a nightmare. Back home, he was used to tracking igloos down by the lights they'd put up. But this new fangled way of naming streets and bylanes had him bamboozled since the only place he'd ever been to in the City had been Air Temple Island. After hours of searching, he'd finally found his daughter's house and was just about to knock when Naga greeted him enthusiastically.

"Hey, Naga. Why're you outside? Is Korra home?" he asked her as he scratched her behind her ears affectionately.

Naga tugged at his sleeve and started leading him towards the building Korra had asked Mako to take her to.

"Is she in there?" Tonraq asked her when they reached the place. Naga simply barked in reply.

Tonraq was puzzled, to say the least. He couldn't imagine why his daughter would be in an apartment building when she had a perfectly cozy, little house of her own.

"She probably rented a place to hide from the press or something," He muttered to himself. "Well, I guess there's nothing else to it, is there? Stay here, Naga. I'm going in."

* * *

Korra couldn't remember being this happy in years. Nothing was set in stone, but things were finally clearing up between her and Mako. And if their actions here were any indication, they seemed to be moving in the right direction. She couldn't help but smile at Mako's peaceful face as he slept. He'd always been so guarded and reserved, but looking at him now, she finally understood that he'd learned not to push people away like he'd been doing all his life. She was just about to wake him up when she heard a familiar bark.

"Wait, what?" she asked herself quietly as she wrapped the sheets around herself and walked towards the window. "Naga!" she exclaimed when she saw her Polar Bear Dog waiting outside, but what really shocked her was the tall, massively built figure entering the building.

"No, no no! Mako! Mako, wake up!" she hissed as she nudged him.

He simply hummed and sunk his face further into the pillow. "No," he mumbled. "And you should be back here."

"I'd love to, really," Korra began, "but I think Naga led my dad here."

That woke him up slightly. "What?"

"He's on his way up right now!" she hissed. "I'm gonna go hide. You have to make up some sort of excuse!"

Mako tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "Wouldn't it just be easier to let him think this is your place?"

"He already knows where I live! I'd given him the address," Korra deadpanned. "We don't have time for this! Just-"

As if on cue, they heard a knock at the main door.

"Korra!" they heard Tonraq call. "I know this is a surprise, but I'd like to catch up with you!"

Mako gulped and made his way to the door. "Take one of my coats and get out the window to Naga if you have to. I'll get your other stuff later."

She kissed him quickly, as if apologizing for putting him him in this position. "Thanks. I'll see you later."

Tonraq was surprised it was taking Korra this long to get to the door, but nothing surprised him more than seeing Mako where his daughter should've been.

"Mako? What're you doing in my daughter's apartment this early?" he asked.

"Actually, sir, I-"

"And how come you're dressed in your sleep clothes?" Tonraq asked, his temper rising.

"This isn't-" Mako began, but he quailed under the larger man's intense stare. "This isn't exactly your daughter's house, sir."

"Then why would Nage lead me here?" Tonraq demanded.

"Because she likes me?" Mako offered, trying to be humorous. Needless to say, it didn't work.

"So Korra's not here?"

"No, sir. I think she must be out for a walk or something," Mako replied.

Tonraq sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry if I came on too strong. It's just… Anyway, it's good to see you, Mako."

"Likewise, sir," Mako replied and watched him leave. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Korra blow him a kiss as she airbent herself towards Naga. So much for taking the day off.

* * *

Tonraq's confusion still hadn't left him as he made his way down the stairs towards Naga. He was in for another surprise when he found his daughter standing with the Polar Bear Dog.

"Korra?" he asked with quirked eyebrow.

"Dad? What're you doing here?" she asked as she hugged him.

"I came here to see you! I was at the address you'd given me first, but Naga led me here. Did you know your friend Mako lives in this building?"

"You don't say?" Korra asked, feigning surprise. "I haven't talked to him in a while. Let's go home, dad."

And so she led him back towards her house with Naga trodding slightly behind them.

* * *

The Spirit World was a very strange place. And while he'd found it very easy to meditate his way to his destination in the Spirit World, navigating it had always been a challenge. The terrain was unpredictable, and distance meant close to nothing since he could sometimes cover large distances within seconds while on other occasions, it had taken him forever to cross into the next meadow in Xai Bau's grove. It had been one such occasion today.

"Glad you finally made it for our meeting, Aku," a familiar voice greeted him. An old man with matted, gray hair and a beard that extended to his torso came within his line of sight.

"Why did you call me here, Zaheer?" Aku demanded.

"I'd have thought that considering you're the one requiring my services, you'd be slightly kinder," Zaheer scoffed.

"You offered your services claiming this to be a noble cause," Aku reminded him. "And unlike you, I don't have all eternity to spend inside a prison cell."

Zaheer's fists clenched at that, but he knew that if Ak's plan worked, he'd be able to get out in no time.

"I found more traces of the sword's energy," Zaheer said.

"That's old news," Aku scoffed.

"It's close to where the City's portal leads," Zaheer finished rather proudly.

"Did you find us a way to get a wisp of the fog?" Aku asked.

"I'm afraid that's not possible," Zaheer replied. "The formula we had was meant to be prepared in liquid form. Turning it to gas is going to take some tinkering."

"Why else would I have asked you to investigate the fog?" Aku hissed. "That's our key!"

"It is also a very powerful spirit, Aku. So unless you want to suffer its wrath for the rest of your life, you should concentrate on developing a close substitute," Zaheer said.

"You've wasted my time. I'll send my own men in myself, soon. Perhaps the next time you call me into the Spirit World, you'll remember who's really going to benefit if my plan works," Aku spat.

"That would be both of us, Aku," Zaheer reminded him as he watched him disappear into the material world.

* * *

Aku sighed as he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. He was in his study with candles lit all around the place where he'd been sitting. A soft knock alerted him to his visitor.

"Come in, Shen." he answered.

"I'm so sorry to disturb you, sir… It's… well we might have been able to replicate the fog for the very first time."

"Excellent," Aku acknowledged, although slightly curious as to how they'd managed it. "It seems like we chose the right team after all."

"Quite so, sir," Shen agreed.

"Round the candidates up," Aku ordered. "We're testing it right now."

Shen nodded and bowed out of the room to inform Ami and her team to round up the necessary victims for their next trial.

* * *

Skoochy wasn't entirely certain, but he thought he was being followed. Ever since he'd looted that old, rich guy outside Kwong's Cuisine, a lady had been following him. She was young, maybe in her mid-twenties, and looked way too pretty to be interested in him. She wore a white dress that glowed almost silver under the dim streetlights and looked out of place in the poorer sectors of Republic City. Skoochy wasn't sure why she was following him or if she even was. He walked on, trying to keep tabs on her without her noticing. It was only when he reached the base that he was certain she was following him. So, he kept walking. He led her through some of the darkest parts of the cities, where all sorts of shady characters lurked about, but that didn't seem to phase her. She kept walking behind him, her dress rustling softly in the gentle evening breeze. Skoochy's scowl only deepened. He quickened his pace and made for the park.

The woman followed.

They met under a bridge, secluded and tucked away from the few young couples who frequented the park during the night. Skoochy purposely allowed the mysterious woman to come closer. When she was finally an arm's length away, he addressed her.

"What do you want, lady? Why are you following me?"

"I thought you looked familiar," she said, her voice soft and gentle. In the dim light, it was hard to make out much of her features, but her gray-green eyes glinted eerily in the night and were unnerving.

"You must have me mixed up with someone else, lady. We don't know each other."

"But surely," she said. "You remember me. It's been a long time and you were very young, but surely you remember your sister."

"Don't have no sister, lady. Get lost."

"Oh. I thought...well, never mind. Maybe one of your friends, then? A boy about your age; know anyone who fits that description?"

"I might," Skoochy replied, shoving his hands in his pocket.

"And?"

Skoochy shrugged. "You want info, lady?"

"Yes. I can reward you," she replied, pulling out a small purse stuffed with coins. "Handsomely."

Skoochy grinned. "There's a couple of guys in the Dragon Flats district. That's all I know."

"How disappointing. Nothing else?"

"Nope. At least, nothing else for now. Maybe you can jog my memory?"

The woman laughed. "Certainly."

Before Skoochy could follow, she had him pinned against the brick wall underneath the bridge and a dagger to his throat. Skoochy squirmed and tried to break free, but the woman's looks were deceptive. She was strong and flexible and able to avoid all his kicks and punches.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," she said, calmly, when she noticed Skoochy trying to bend something at her.

"Go to hell," he spat, trying to kick at her.

The woman laughed. "That's not very polite, you know?"

"So? See if I…"

Skoochy was cut off as the woman delivered a series of sharp, swift jabs to his shoulder. He fell to the ground like a ragdoll and when he finally regained his balance his bending was useless.

"Hey! Are you one of those hooligans that ran around with that masked idiot a while ago. Gimme back my bending!"

"Hush, little boy. Where you're going, you won't need your bending."

Skoochy growled in frustration and dove towards his assailant, tackling her to the ground. She probably hadn't been expecting that, because she looked caught off guard for a second, but then quickly schooled her features back into one of nonchalance.

"Give me back my bending," he threatened. "Or I'll…"

"You'll what? Report me? Good luck with that."

Something ejected from the sleeves of her dress and before Skoochy could react, he was sprayed with something nasty. His eyes stung and his throat burned and dark spots started dancing across his vision.

"It's incredible what the hooligans working under that masked idiot can come up with, isn't it?" She laughed, shoving Skoochy off her and getting up.

The last thing Skoochy saw before he blacked out was the woman grinning at him. Then, the ground rose up to meet him and the darkness swallowed him whole.


	6. Chapter 5

_**A/N**: We are so very thankful for your continued support of this fic. Quite honestly, real life activities, along with our individual TMSP works have kept us busy. So we were chipping away at this slowly. In any case, we hope you enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

Skoochy awoke to laughter. His head still hurt and his vision was blurry, but he was able to make out laughter from somewhere to his right. It was soft and mirthful and Skoochy wanted to scream because there was nothing remotely funny about his current predicament. He was bound and gagged and blindfolded, propped up in an uncomfortable position against something that might have been a wall, but could have easily been a box or something else. He tried to push the gag out of his mouth, but to no avail. Someone must have seen him, because that melodious laughter sounded again and Skoochy heard the rustle of fabric near him.

"None of that," a woman said, shoving the gag back into place. "Sit tight for a while, kid. It'll be over soon."

The thought wasn't wholly reassuring, but Skoochy did as he was told, only because he hadn't the slightest idea where he was or who he was up against. So he stayed where he was (not that he had many options) and waited.

Five minutes later, someone else entered the room.

"Well?"

It was a man, judging by the sound of the voice, and maybe a middle-aged one, but Skoochy couldn't say for sure.

The woman spoke again. "All here, just like you asked. This one's awake." Something nudged Skoochy's foot, but he didn't move.

The man gave an odd sort of laugh and Skoochy felt his heart crawl up into his throat.

"We can't have that, can we?" He murmured. Skoochy tensed and waited for them to haul him up or beat him, but that never happened. Instead, something sharp poked his arm and he descended into darkness once more.

When Skoochy came to for the second time, it was different. His bonds were still intact, but the blindfold had been removed. He took stock of his surroundings but there wasn't much to go on. As far as he could tell, he was in an abandoned warehouse, but there were plenty in and around Republic City, so it didn't tell him much. Besides him, there were about half a dozen others, bound and gagged, just like he was. They were all glancing about in fear and Skoochy was confused, until his gaze fell upon a party of four gathered directly opposite them. Skoochy recognized one of them as the woman who had tailed him from Kwong's and he glared at her. Beside her was another woman and two men who Skoochy hadn't seen before. They were all smiling smugly and he didn't like the way they were whispering and laughing amongst themselves.

The second woman eyed him and laughed. She walked over and knelt down before him, eyeing him up and down. It made Skoochy feel uncomfortable.

"Aww, look," she laughed, glancing at her companion over her shoulder. "He's glaring at you."

The woman who had stalked him laughed.

Skoochy scowled, though he wasn't sure his captors could actually see because of the gag and tried to kick the woman, but she was fast. His feet met only empty air and the woman chuckled and patted his head as if to say, better luck next time, kid. That annoyed him even more.

"Well," said Stalker (not that Skoochy really cared about learning her name). "I think we're all set."

The older of the two men nodded. "Proceed."

He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away.

Stalker grinned and reached for a cannister on a small table, not too far away. Skoochy braced himself, though for what, he couldn't say. Stalker started with the man furthest away from him. She knelt down and gently sprayed his face. One second passed. Then two, then three. Then the man started grovelling and whimpering, mumbling nonsense. Satisfied, Stalker moved on to the next victim, a woman. When she was sprayed, she immediately started screaming and then Skoochy got scared. What exactly was in that cannister?

Stalker went down the line, spraying everyone with whatever was in that cannister and, the closer she got to Skoochy, the more nervous he felt. Everyone was screaming or whimpering and two already looked like they were going to faint. The man next to him was blubbering about spirit monsters and pleading for death, but Skoochy saw nothing.

"Don't worry," Stalker said, as she knelt before him. "You'll see what they're all blubbering about soon enough."

She raised the cannister and Skoochy squirmed, trying to evade her, but it was no use. He was cornered and the woman didn't really look like she was about to run out of spray any time soon.

"Hold still, sugar," she said, in a sickly sweet voice like one of those actresses in a mover. "This won't hurt."

Skoochy braced himself as he was sprayed. He was disappointed to notice that Stalker had lied, but he'd expected it. It did hurt and pretty badly. His eyes stung and watered and his throat burned and he felt like he was dying. Skoochy curled up into a ball and closed his eyes, writhing in pain for several minutes before it finally let up. When the pain passed, he opened his eyes and nearly screamed. Five minutes ago, he'd been fairly positive that he had been stuck in a warehouse, but he was no longer there now. Republic City lay stretched out below him and tall mountain summits towered above him. Skoochy recognized the place well, though he didn't care to. It had been years since he'd even thought about the shack he and his parents had once called home and he'd never once visited it after becoming a street kid, until now.

The shack was as he remembered it. His parents' bed was still tucked into a corner, covered in layers of dust and his little mattress, all torn up and destroyed, lay at the foot of the bed. The old settee his mother had insisted on buying was nothing more than springs and the kitchen was in shambles, just as it had always been. Skoochy took it all in, not feeling the slightest bit enthused. If this was some kind of joke, he didn't find it very funny. He didn't know what his captors had done to him but, whatever it was, he didn't like it. He didn't know how they'd known about this place. Even his closest friends didn't know about this place and he'd made it a point not to tell them. He didn't like discussing his past for a reason.

"Well?" A voice asked. "Are you just going to stand there all day?"

Skoochy whirled around and nearly fainted. His mother was standing there, pale and gaunt and looking as happy to see him as she had always been.

"Worthless kid," she muttered. "Didn't I tell you not to come home until you made at least fifty yuans?"

Skoochy wanted to reply, but no words came. He couldn't tell if he was still gagged or not or if he was in the past, reliving old memories, or anything else.

His mother rummaged around the kitchen for something and found a small pot which she slammed onto the old stove and filled with water.

"Have a kid, they said. It'll be lovely, they said. So cute and so much fun. Ha! What a joke."

Skoochy frowned.

"Just another mouth to feed."

Skoochy glared at her.

"Don't stand there, you dolt! Make yourself useful. Chop some wood for your stepfather. He'll be back any minute."

The words hadn't even left her mouth when the front door was nearly ripped off its hinges and a large man entered.

"So the runt came back? Where's the money kid?"

Skoochy shrugged.

"Didn't we ask you not to return until you made enough money?"

Again, Skoochy shrugged.

"Stupid kid," his stepfather muttered, decking him.

Skoochy collided with the floor painfully, but picked himself up quickly. His stepfather just grunted and sat down on the worn out settee, groaning as he flexed his legs.

"Work's tough," he said, staring at Skoochy. "You'd better learn to work hard kid, because as soon as you hit ten, in six months, you're earning everything you need yourself. We can't afford you anymore."

"I didn't ask to have a child," his mother said, weeping by the stove. "And your father…" She cursed liberally and went back to banging pots and pans.

"Go chop some firewood," his stepfather ordered, reaching for a bottle of sake. "If you do a good job, maybe you can have some dinner."

Skoochy frowned again. He knew how this ended. He'd chop all the firewood he could and bring it back in neat little bundles, but nothing was ever good enough for his stepfather or mother. They'd inspect the wood, make a fire, eat dinner and then leave Skoochy to eat scraps by the dying embers. And if he got caught sneaking an extra morsel which he usually did, his stepfather would beat him until he bruised, or just slap him and punch him because he felt like it. He didn't know whether this was a memory or if he was actually somehow in his past, but he didn't want to risk a beating either way, so he shook his head. His stepfather turned bright red and slapped him, and it must have hurt, because the world dissolved into darkness, though Skoochy couldn't feel a thing.

When the darkness vanished, Skoochy realised he wasn't better off. The mountains had disappeared and he was standing in the heart of Republic City, at the foot of a set of stairs leading up to an elegant mansion. A man dressed in elegant robes stood at the top of the stairs and he stared down at Skoochy disdainfully.

"Didn't I tell you never to come here, boy?" He demanded.

Skoochy wanted to tell him that it certainly wasn't his idea to pop up here, but talking seemed to be useless in this place. It seemed he could only stand and glare.

"Let me guess," the man said, twisting a ring around one of his fat fingers. "Your mother needs more money?"

Skoochy shrugged.

"Where are you off to, kid?"

Skoochy didn't say anything (or at least, he couldn't remember saying anything) but the man frowned and passed a fat hand over this thick face as if Skoochy had said something utterly disappointing.

"So this is what it's come to? My own son, wandering the streets and stealing from people."

That made Skoochy angry. He wanted to scream: you lost the right to call me your son when you abandoned me. But, of course, his speech failed him when he needed it the most, and all he could do was glare as his father droned on about what a disappointment he was.

"I see now I was right to leave your mother," his father said. "You're such a disappointment. Stupid, worthless child. Get out of my sight and don't let me catch you here again."

Everything vanished before Skoochy could even open his mouth in an attempt to say something.

When Skoochy finally opened his eyes again, he was half pleased to note he was back in the warehouse. Stalker and her companions were still there, watching Skoochy intently. Beside him, all the others who were bound and gagged were lying on the floor, limp like ragdolls and whimpering in fear. Skoochy himself had been crying because his face was wet with tears and he felt more pricking at the back of his eyes and cursed himself. He'd buried his past long ago and made a valiant effort not to dwell on it and, until now, that method had been working fine. Living with the street kids, it was easy to pretend he had a large, caring family and people who would help him, but his trip down memory lane (or to the past, whatever it had been) forced him to face the harsh reality that he truly was all alone in this world. There wasn't a single person out there who truly cared for him or needed him and he had absolutely no one to turn to. Street kids learned fast, after all; strength lay in numbers but even then, it was usually every kid for himself. You didn't waste time trying to help other streets kids if you didn't have to and you did whatever it took to survive. Skoochy had learned that the hard way early on.

"Welcome back," Stalker said, grinning. "Did you have a pleasant trip?"

He hadn't, but based on everyone's reactions, he was beginning to think Stalker and her friends were hoping he hadn't. One of the men walked forward and surveyed Skoochy and the others. He gazed at them long and hard before frowning and walking back to his companions.

"It's a start, but not good enough. Dispose of them properly."

And without saying anything else, he strode out of the room. Skoochy could only watch as Stalker and her friends outfitted themselves with masks and before he knew it, the whole room was filled with gas and he was lost in the void again.

* * *

"I've got to admit," Tonraq said, helping himself to another serving of noodles. "This Narook's place makes good Water Tribe food."

Korra tried to swat his hand away. "Dad," she complained. "I know you're hungry, but you can't eat my dinner too."

"I'm sorry, honey, but the ship's food was terrible. I've got to stock up now so I can skip all the meals on the journey home."

Korra snorted. "You, skip meals? No offense, Dad, but you don't look like you've missed very many and I don't think it's possible for you to."

"I've missed plenty of meals. Once, your grandmother tried to feed me ocean kumquats and I'm pretty sure they grew legs and moved around the plate."

"Aren't they like fruits or something?"

"Precisely my point."

"And once, your mother and I traveled to the Earth Kingdom and she tried to cook swamp slug. Needless to say, we never went back there."

"You went to the Earth Kingdom and ate swamp food even after all the horrible stories Sokka told?"

"We were young and in our defense, we thought he was making it up. I mean, Sokka never even liked arctic hen with citrus dressing. I don't trust anyone who doesn't like arctic hen."

"Dad, all Sokka ate was arctic hen. He always snuck some in for me at the compound...when he was there, anyway."

"But without citrus dressing!" Tonraq pointed out.

Korra laughed to herself. "Mom was right; guys and their obsession over food are weird."

"I heard that," Tonraq said, as the Avatar stood up and rummaged through her fridge for another serving of noodles for herself.

Korra laughed. "So, are you ever going to tell me the real reason you're here?" Korra wondered.

"Can't a father visit his daughter?" Tonraq wondered.

"He can, but usually he'd bring along his wife too."

"Well, someone had to stay behind and fill in for me."

Korra raised a brow. "Yeah and I would buy that, except that Mom doesn't care about any of that. She blew off celebrating her own inauguration into the Healer's Society club thing to spend time with me when when I was five and had failed my first firebending test. And then there was the time she ditched old Ms. Li to help me pass my waterbending test, even though old Ms. Li wanted Mom to help her for her grandson's wedding or something like that. And once, she…"

"I get it." Tonraq interjected.

"My point is, if Mom knew you were coming just to see me, she'd have come too and let someone else fill in for you."

"Your mother wanted to come, Korra, but she couldn't."

"Because you're here on business or something?"

"Or something," Tonraq said, vaguely. He sighed and passed a hand over his face and Korra noticed how tired he looked. "Don't worry about it."

Korra would have liked to say that she didn't, but the fact of the matter was that she did. Tonraq was a busy man and he never came to Republic City just for fun. And usually, he always gave Korra advance notice so she could meet him when his ship docked. It was so unlike him to just show up and be very vague in regards to his plans, but Korra knew better than to press him further.

"Maybe I'll ask Mom what's up," she said to herself, later that night as she lay awake in bed. "Or maybe I'll just let it go." She yawned and rolled over, away from Naga who was wagging her tail happily in her sleep. Yes, she decided, she'd just let it go.

Later, however, in the dead of night, she heard her father wandering around the house and then the front door suddenly opened and closed. Korra tiptoed out of her room and peered out of the window, watching as her father's silhouette grew smaller and smaller. She sighed.

"Calling Mom, it is."

* * *

"I thought I might find you here."

Lin looked up from her stack of papers and frowned. Headquarters was dark and mostly empty and she certainly hadn't been expecting anyone.

"Ever heard of knocking?" She wondered, yawning and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Tonraq shrugged and sat down in a seat opposite her.

"Please, sit down." Lin deadpanned. "I wasn't wrapping up or anything."

"Judging by that stack of reports, you weren't."

"Look, if this is about that ice cream vendor who pressed charges because Korra blew up his stall when fighting that bunny spirit thing, can't it wait until morning? I've got a million other things to take care and the guy's a fool for even pressing charges."

"I wasn't aware that she was involved in a spirit fight, but that's not what this is about. I've heard you're investigating a case."

"I'm Chief of Police. I'm always investigating a case."

"I meant an unusual one, about the triads and their sudden obsession over imported goods."

"Oh. That case. What about it?"

"I have reason to believe that it's somehow connected to what my daughter's doing."

Lin frowned. "Who told you that?"

Tonraq simply met her gaze. "Who do you think?"

Lin rolled her eyes. "Of course. Well, what do you need from me?"

"To keep an eye out for her. I can't be here forever. And until it's been proven beyond doubt that whatever the triads are up to doesn't concern Korra, I'd like to know she's being looked after,"

"She's also a grown woman," Lin pointed out. "You can't protect her forever, especially not with her job."

"I'm not trying to. It's just...these triads might have a personal vendetta against her, since their bending was never restored after some of them were 'equalized.' I just want to make sure someone reliable is keeping an eye on her because I'm not here to."

Lin nodded. "I know. We'll do our best."

"Thank you."

Lin nodded again.

"So, have you made any headway on the case?"

"Me? No. But, if you're concerned about how Korra might be involved, you should probably talk to the man really leading the investigation."

"And where can I find him?"

"Down the hall, first right, and two doors down."

"He's here right now?"

"Not all of us have the luxury of being able to sleep when we want to."

"Alright. I'll have a quick word with him."

Tonraq stood up and made his way down the hall, took the first right and stopped at the second door, just as Lin had instructed. He was about to knock, but the name-plate beside the door frame caught his attention. Tonraq grinned.

"This is going to be so much fun," he chuckled to himself, knocking on Detective Mako's door. Republic City's finest detective was in for a night.


	7. Chapter 6

_**A/N: **__This chapter was super fun to write! We find out why Aku is looking for the fog and also if and whether he can ever obtain it. We've also added a dash of fun to this altogether heavy chapter, so let us know what you think!_

* * *

When Mako heard the insistent rapping at the door, he nearly threw the case file at it. It was some ungodly hour of the night and he was beyond tired, but sleep remained elusive. The last thing he needed was for someone to start banging on his door and launch into something that would waste his time when he had a case to solve. Sighing, he pushed himself up from his chair and ambled over to the door.

"Bolin, if this is about Opal, I swear I'll…"

The words died in his mouth when the door finally swung open to reveal the last person Mako had ever expected to see.

"Uh...hi, Chief Tonraq. Sir."

Tonraq nodded in response and strode purposefully into the room. Mako suddenly felt nervous.

"Um…" Mako said, intelligently. Tonraq looked amused. "If you're looking for the Chief, Sir, she's in her office."

"I'm aware," He admitted. "I actually came to see you, Detective."

Mako wanted to evaporate. Most people didn't scare him, but there was just something about Tonraq that always made him feel uneasy and choose his words carefully. Mako had no problem talking back to Zolt or telling someone like Shin to take a hike, but Tonraq was taller than all of them and a good deal stronger. And it didn't help he that he was Korra's father. And a very protective one at that.

"This is a nice office you've got," Tonraq said, casually.

"Thanks. Chief decided to cut me some slack and moved me away from those idiots, so now I can work in peace."

"So, how's the case coming along? Have the Triple Threats actually done anything?"

"Well, there haven't been any turf wars or anything or…" Mako stopped and blinked, then turned to gaze at the older man. "How did you know my case had to do with the Triple Threats? I never mentioned that."

"That's not important," the waterbender replied. "I need to know if you've made any progress."

"Not much," Mako admitted. "Most of our leads seem like red herrings; they don't lead to much."

"What've you found so far?"

"Virtually nothing good to go on," Mako replied, slumping into his seat. "We sent out a small team to investigate a couple of leads, but there was nothing connecting them to this case. Saikhan did some investigating himself, but he didn't find much. He's heading back out tomorrow, so we're hoping for something better than what we've found."

"And you?"

Mako shrugged. "I'm looking into a couple leads myself. I'm planning on heading out in the morning to follow a potential clue."

"I see," Tonraq said. "Well, I suppose I'd better let you get back to it. Before I go, however, I'd like to ask you a favor."

Mako nodded.

"I have reason to believe that my daughter might be involved, somehow. As it is, there's been a brief lull in her work and she's probably going to get involved in your case because she needs the excitement. Just keep an eye on her for me. I can't stay here forever."

"Of course. I lo-" Mako caught himself and hastily continued. "I mean, Korra is one of my best friends. Of course I will."

Tonraq smiled and headed for the door. Before exiting, however, his gaze fell upon an old photo of Mako and Korra and his grin widened.

"I'm sure she is," he muttered, heading out. Just as Mako breathed a sigh of relief, Tonraq addressed him again.

"Detective?"

"Yes?"

Tonraq's grin seemed impossibly wider and there was a twinkle in his eyes.

"Try not to break my daughter's heart again, or I may have to pay you another visit."

And with a small laugh, the waterbender disappeared, taking with him any chance Mako had of sleeping peacefully.

* * *

"Morning, Dad."

Tonraq all but jumped out of his skin when he turned to find Korra watching him. He had just returned from police headquarters and sunlight was slowly spilling over the horizon, so he hadn't expected Korra to be up. He'd slipped in unnoticed, and had just locked the door when she'd caught him.

"Morning," he said, trying to act normal. He smiled, but Korra didn't.

"Where were you?"

"I went out for a walk," he lied. "Couldn't sleep."

"A three hour walk?"

"Well, you know…" He shrugged. "I had a lot on my mind."

Korra didn't look convinced. "Well, I'm glad you had a nice walk, Dad, because Mom is on the phone and she wants to talk to you. She doesn't sound happy."

Tonraq sighed and Korra just smirked as he walked over to it and picked up the receiver. He'd barely gotten in a hello when he was forced to remove the earpiece away. Senna's muffled shouting could be heard even as Korra made her way into the kitchen, stifling her laugh.

Her dad certainly didn't have to answer to her, but Senna was a whole different story.

* * *

"I see Republic City's finest detective is hard at work."

Mako blinked blearily and opened his eyes to find Korra standing in his office with a cup of tea and some food. She set them down on one corner of his desk and then picked up a piece of paper.

"I'm sure Lin will be thrilled to discover you drooled all over the case file and this report you're handing her."

Mako just snatched them back, ignoring Korra's laughter.

"I had a long night," he said, grumbling. "I didn't sleep much and on top of that your dad came and…"

"Wait, what? My dad was here? What for? Spill."

Mako suddenly realized that Korra may not have known about Tonraq's visit and he groaned to himself. He didn't want to keep secrets from her but considering Tonraq had come in the dead of the night and Korra hadn't known, he guessed Tonraq didn't really want to let Korra know.

"I...uh, it was nothing much," Mako said. "He was just...out for a walk. Yeah, that's it. And he...popped in."

"You don't sound too sure. What was he really here for?"

"Nothing, really."

"Mako…"

The firebender ran a hand through his hair. "Honestly, Korra. It wasn't much. He just wanted to make sure I was doing my job, that's all."

Mako didn't elaborate. He didn't think Korra would appreciate knowing her father had asked him to look after her and Mako didn't exactly know how to tell Korra that he always kept an eye out for her, just in case.

"What are you hiding from me?"

"Nothing, really. He didn't tell me much of anything. It was just pleasantries and that sort of thing. But, he made it seem like he'd spoken to Lin, so if you want some answers, you'd better ask her."

"I will. Be right back."

Mako grabbed coat and shook his head. "I've got to head out now, actually, so I'll catch you later."

"Where are you off to?" Korra demanded, watching Mako stuff a wad of bills in his pocket.

"Hopefully, a lead."

"Have room for one more?"

"What about Lin?"

Korra glanced out the open door and down the corridor, then back at Mako.

She smiled. "Lin can wait."

* * *

"Heads up. Officer at ten o'clock. We'd better scram."

Rat looked up and just smiled. "It's just Mako," he scoffed. "Nothin' is going to happen."

"Oooh," a girl beside him said, giggling. "He's got a lady friend."

"Morning, Officer," Rat called, cheerfully. "I see you've graduated."

"Shut up, Rat." The girl beside him hissed.

"I see you haven't," Mako replied, gesturing to the rodents in Rat's pockets that had earned him his nickname. "Still hanging out with sewer creatures?"

Rat shrugged. "Eh, they're better company than people on most days. What can I do for you?"

"You? Nothing. Where's Skoochy?"

Rat shrugged. "I dunno. But if this doesn't concern me, I'm leaving. Ask Kyoko."

The young girl beside him looked up at Mako, curiously.

"Have you seen Skoochy?" Mako asked.

Kyoko shook her head, her curls flying about wildly. "Nope. Haven't seen him in a couple of days actually. Rat was thinking of reporting him as missing, but Bau didn't think it was a good idea."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

Kyoko shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. He comes and goes. Hard to say for sure, but if i had to guess, I'd say maybe midnight, a couple days back. He had gone out to get us some food since Xin had stolen ours. He left and then never showed up."

Mako sighed. "I'll look for him," he promised. "But thanks anyway."

Kyoko nodded again, her curls bouncing up and down. Mako turned to go but stopped suddenly. Korra, who'd been standing silently behind him, followed his gaze to where two people stood. The taller of the two was probably seventeen or eighteen and wore a trench coat with oversized shoes and his tawny hair was a mess. Beside him, was a younger boy maybe thirteen or fourteen with brown hair and bulging pockets who Korra recognized as Rat.

"Kyoko?"

The little girl snapped to attention and Mako fished for something in his pockets before handing her the wad of cash Korra had seen him take earlier.

"Thanks for your help," Mako said, ruffling her hair. "Don't tell the others about that. And ditch Rat and Xin. As soon as Skoochy turns up, you follow him back to the bridge hideout, understand?"

The little girl peered around Mako to where Xin was aimlessly flicking stones at a little hamster rat on the ground.

"Xin and Rat aren't so bad," she said. "I'm not scared of them."

"I know, but they're bad company. You don't want to be hanging around them."

Kyoko looked at the wad of cash in her hands and then stuffed it in the pocket of her old, tattered coat. She swiped her curly hair away from her face and grinned up at Mako.

"You got it, Officer."

And then humming to herself, she skipped back towards Xin and Rat and the group of small children clustered around them, as if she'd just inherited the lottery.

"You know those kids?" Korra demanded, once they were out of earshot.

"Sort of," Mako admitted. "Xin and I never got along. He was younger than me and Bolin and thought of all the other street kids as his personal lackeys. And he's got a penchant for trouble. I swear his criminal record is probably longer than Zolt's."

"And that little girl, Kyoko, is running around with a guy like him? And those other kids too? There were toddlers there."

Mako frowned. "Yeah, that's what worries me. Skoochy was looking out for them, or at least looking out for everyone who's not Rat or his siblings."

"That kid's got siblings?"

Mako nodded. "Yeah. Three. And they're all as twisted and messed up as he is. Bolin and I knew them as little kids. They were cute back then. But they didn't stay cute for long. Rat's a pro at catching rodents in the sewers. He keeps a couple as pets and the rest...well, I'm not so sure you want to know. His siblings aren't much better and they're all younger than him."

"And Kyoko and those other kids?"

Mako shrugged, changing lanes before answering. "I knew Kyoko when Bolin and I were on the street. Her foster brother was a good kid; he died on the streets. When Toza found us, Kyoko was probably two, maybe three."

"She can't be more than ten or eleven now," Korra pointed out. "You think she and those other kids will be okay?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't worry too much. Xin can't do much to her. Zolt's her uncle and he's always got an eye out."

_"What?"_

Mako chuckled. "That was our reaction when we found out."

"That scumbag is just letting his niece wander the streets like that? Can't you convict him for that?"

"I doubt it and in any case, maybe it's better. I don't think Zolt would have done her any favors if he'd taken her in with the Triple Threats. Besides, Kyoko's smart as a whip, and the only reason people like Xin steal stuff from her and the others is because they're incapable of getting what they need themselves."

"You have a point," Korra admitted. "But still, kids that young...they've got no one looking out for them."

"Maybe they do," Mako said quietly, staring straight ahead.

Korra wondered, but didn't say anything.

Their ride didn't last long. Fifteen minutes after leaving the street kids behind, Mako pulled up next to an abandoned tram station located near the wharves. He led them past the station itself and into the small docking yard nearby. A single, dilapidated tram was all that was there and Korra didn't think they'd have any business there, but Mako just lifted the makeshift covering and ducked into the car, with Korra close behind.

Inside it was dark and dusty and they found three more street kids huddled around a single plate of cooked fish. The older two were boys who probably worked judging by their grimy faces, but the youngest was a girl, no more than seven. They looked tired, but they brightened when they saw Mako.

"Are you joining us for lunch?" The girl asked.

Mako shook his head. "I can't. I was just dropping by to ask you a question. Have you seen Skoochy?"

The boys exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"He came by about three days ago. Haven't seen him since."

Mako sighed. "I was afraid of that. Thanks anyway."

He produced the last of his yuans from his pocket and handed them to the trio who looked like they'd struck gold. After their cries of thanks had died down, Mako turned to go, but was stopped when the little girl squealed and starting jumping up and down.

"You're the Avatar!" She exclaimed, pointing to Korra. "I always wanted to be the Avatar. Can you show me a trick? Please?"

"A trick?" Korra laughed. A miniature tornado swirled in her palm. The little girl stared at it wide-eyed.

"Skoochy was going to see you," one of the boys piped up. "I just remembered."

Korra blinked. "Me?"

The boy nodded. "He dropped by here for dinner and then said he had to leave because he had to talk to you. Something about a deal?"

"And then he went missing?" Mako asked.

All three nodded.

"He barely knows me. Why would he want to see me?" Korra demanded.

Mako shrugged. "I don't know, but we've got to get back to headquarters. You kids okay for now?"

The trio nodded.

"Stay safe," Mako said. "By the way, before I go, I just thought I'd mention that the bakery old Mr. Jin runs throws out their leftovers. You should really help them clean up."

The two boys grinned. "Sure thing, Officer. Thanks."

Mako smiled and ducked out of the tram, with Korra close behind.

"So," the Avatar asked, once they'd started back towards police headquarters. "What was that all about?"

Mako shrugged. "Just helping out. Mr. Jin is a nice guy. He usually leaves his leftovers outside for street kids. If it wasn't for him, Bolin and I would've probably died our first winter in the streets."

"And why are you so concerned about Skoochy all of a sudden?" Korra asked. "Didn't think you liked the kid very much."

"He's not an entirely bad kid. He's actually pretty good. He looks after a lot of the street kids here. It's just...maybe he's too good at what he does."

"But how is he connected to your case?"

Mako shrugged. "I don't even know if he is. But, he's good at getting information. He's actually been able to help me crack a couple of cases. I don't know how or where he gets the info, but it's really helpful."

"And you think he might have info connected to this case?"

"It's possible. He's been able to give me info on the Triple Threats before. Said he spied on them undetected...whatever that means. It's not the first time. I was hoping he'd know why the Triple Threats are focusing on imported goods or why they're acting so odd, but he's disappeared, so…"

Korra nodded.

They reached headquarters shortly. The place was bustling with activity as Korra and Mako made their way to Lin's office, where the earthbender was seated behind a mountain of papers.

"If you don't have good news," Lin said, by way of greeting. "I don't want to hear it."

Mako ignored that comment, surprisingly, and pressed on. "We need to file a missing person report. Skoochy's gone."

"That street kid you always go to for help? How is he connected to this case?" Lin asked.

Mako shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "But he's been gone for at least two days. And he's not a dumb kid; he knows how to handle himself, so if he's gone, something must have happened."

"All right," Lin said, handing him a piece of paper. "Fill that out and give it to Saikhan."

Mako nodded and headed back to his office to fill out the form. Ten minutes later, it was in Saikhan's hands, with the promise of being looked into.

"So, what now?" Korra wondered.

Mako shrugged. "I could use some food. Want to head to Kwongs? We can round up the others."

"I'll do you one better," a voice said. Mako and Korra turned to find Asami and Bolin standing just outside Mako's office. "I've got a booth booked at Kwong's."

"And Opal's got Juicy outside ready to go," Bolin added. "We were just coming to haul you two over there."

"No hauling necessary," Mako promised. "I'm starving. Let's go."

"What about that missing person report?" Korra wondered as they walked out.

"It's in Saikhan's hands now," Mako replied. "All we can do is wait."

They didn't have to wait long. Two nights later, just a little past midnight, Mako got a call. He'd just been drifting off to sleep when the phone rang and he'd been tempted not to answer, but was awfully glad he did when he realized who the caller was.

"Detective?"

"Yeah?"

"Saikhan here. That kid you were looking for; he turned up."

"Really? Where?"

"He was found by one of the warehouses Miss Sato operates from. Probably left for dead or something. He's in the hospital now. You might want to interrogate him while you still can. It doesn't look too good."

"I'll be there," Mako promised, shoving his shoes on and slipping into his coat. "Just give me fifteen minutes.

"Alright." Saikhan said, before disconnecting. Mako hurriedly hung up and then placed another call.

* * *

When Tonraq went to bed, it was just a little past midnight. He was just getting ready to turn off the lamp when Korra's phone rang. His daughter was practically out the door before she'd hung up and Tonraq became puzzled.

"Where are you off to now?" He asked, noticing Korra slipping into her shoes.

"Mako called. He's got a lead on his case and he needed my help."

"Sure he did," Tonraq teased. "Have fun on your date, sweetie."

"Dad," Korra protested. "It's not a date. We're going to an interrogation."

"I'll bet you are," he laughed. "Have fun. I want you home at a reasonable hour, understand?"

"Dad!"

"And if you stay at his place, I want a full report of what happens. I'm too young to be a grandfather."

"Well, you never know, Dad. We just might give you the news in a few weeks."

Tonraq laughed heartily as Korra walked out of the house, slamming the door behind her. It was only after she'd exited he'd realized what she said.

"Wait, what?"

* * *

Aku felt the weight of his body leave him as he traversed through the realms into the Spirit World. Upon opening his eyes, he realized he wasn't as far away from his destination as he'd thought. The murky swamp had the same, familiar mist he'd come to associate with the feeling that gripped him whenever he thought of the ancient spirit he'd set out to meet. Within a few seconds, or it could've been minutes, considering he was in the Spirit World, he'd located the twisted trunk of the bare tree that housed one of the most dangerous spirits any human had ever encountered.

He had arrived at Koh's lair.

"No emotion," he kept telling himself. "None at all. You have a mission."

After his meeting with Zaheer, he'd decided, finally, to ask an actual spirit for help. No mortal had ever found a way to get near the fog without succumbing to its tricks. So he figured a spirit might just be able to get through.

He remembered seeing the spirit that guarded the pit the fog was in. She hadn't been inclined to help him; not in the slightest. He didn't know how he'd managed to escape, but he'd awoken in the physical world with a start, cursing himself for failing.

"I need to get a bit of that fog somehow," he kept telling himself as he approached the hollow of the twisted tree that reminded him of the Tree of Time, and he wondered if there was a reason Koh had chosen to live there since… well, forever.

An odd chill settled upon the swamp as he approached the dark, foreboding place. The silhouette of the faceless monkey that had frightened him the very first time he'd seen this place crept closer, and he deftly avoided it as it pounced.

"Just stay calm," Aku told himself one final time as he walked in and felt the darkness envelop him.

He heard the slight rustle of the creature's crawlers against the stone floor as he entered. The sound seemed distant, yet he could sense Koh's eyes as they followed his every move.

"I wish to speak to you, Koh," Aku declared. "I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me."

Koh's lips stretched in a nauseating leer as he revealed himself, his face only an inch from Aku's. Aku stared back at the face of the baboon that had its teeth bared.

"Good to see you, too, Koh," Aku greeted, but there was no true happiness there.

"Why have you come here?" Koh asked, his face shifting every second in an attempt to unnerve him.

"I just told you," Aku replied. "I need information, and I think you can provide."

"And why would I provide?" Koh asked in a manner that indicated that he was only humoring Aku until he grew tired of him.

"Aren't you worried about how open your realm is to humans now?" Aku asked. "The Avatar has made it possible for her kind to defile the realm you call home."

"She hasn't crossed me in this lifetime," Koh replied. "And quite honestly, I find her intriguing compared to her past lives."

Aku's fists clenched as he realized Koh might not help him after all.

"She hasn't done much to help you, either," Aku noted.

"She doesn't have to, Aku," Koh reminded him. "But she has helped my kind. And I am not inclined to help you in your little quest for revenge."

"I don't seek revenge, Koh," Aku said. "The Avatar is a relic in these modern times. We do not need her anymore."

"And yet, you seek to use a tool as ancient as the world itself," Koh mocked.

Aku almost winced, but then he realized who he was up against and steeled himself.

"You know the spirit that guards the fog," Aku said. "You can convince her to help me get some of it."

"And why should I?" Koh asked again. "You keep saying I can help you… And knowing myself, I probably can. But you still haven't let me know why I'd even want to help you."

"Because the world needs to change," Aku replied, forcing himself to stay calm. "People need to change. They need to know what you can do. They need to understand their true place in this world. They need to understand that the spirits aren't just fascinating attractions to be gawked at in a park!"

"You amuse me, Aku," Koh declared after a few seconds. "You truly believe the lies you've been telling everyone else. But I know what you truly seek."

Aku gulped. He envisioned the sword hidden somewhere in the depths of the spirit world, waiting to be put to good use; waiting to tell him where the other relics were. But he needed the fog to get to it. The Avatar wouldn't allow anyone near it if she knew what they were looking for.

"I will not deny that I seek it," Aku finally replied. "But I need to get to the fog first, and I know you can help."

Koh seemed to consider it for a minute, and when his lips curled into a smile, Aku fought the urge to cringe.

"The spirit guarding the fog," Koh began, "has been one with it since time began. She waits, hoping that one day, the fog will be free from its pit, and join her in the physical world once more, like Tui and La did. The only way you can convince her to give you some of it is to make her believe it will help the fog become free once more. Do that, and she will help you."

Aku could hardly believe it. The legend had been an ancient one, and he'd only ever skimmed it. Before the Avatar Cycle had begun, during a convergence, Vaatu had tried to release the fog upon the world. And Raava, using the power of the convergence, had managed to trap it in the pit and absorbed Vaatu into her own essence. Vaatu had never been free of Raava after that; at least until Wan came around before the next convergence.

The legends had also mentioned a warrior spirit as massive as the spirit portals' beams of light. She had been the only one to have ever conversed with the fog and befriended it; loved him, even. And when Vaatu had turned his essence dark to use him, she had failed to protect him.

He had even tricked her essence into turning dark, and only her love for Umikei had allowed her to retain that last shred of light so she could help Raava in her attempt to save him. She had begged Raava to spare Umikei since he hadn't meant to destroy the world the Light Spirit had held so dear. Raava had even tried to change her back, but Vaatu had reduced her essence to nothing but a shimmering light, alive enough only to protect Umikei's weak form.

Her weapons and armor, a gift from the Light Spirit herself, had been scattered across the realm, lost even to her. But she had decided to remain with Umikei as a guardian, hoping that one day, a noble spirit would find a solution to free them both, and they would be together once more.

In his eagerness to find out about the armor, Aku had forgotten about the spirit that had sacrificed the gifts that had been bestowed upon her by Raava herself eons ago. He had forgotten why she'd even done it in the first place. And now he had to find a way to use that against the Avatar.

"Jian," Aku whispered. It was almost too much for him to contain his excitement. Not when the pieces fit together so perfectly. Not only could he convince Jian to help him free Umikei, but he could also get her to reveal where she'd hidden her armor and weapons.

"Yes," Koh confirmed. "I have to admit that I'm almost curious to see how you'd pull this off… But then again, you humans have always had the tendency to surprise me."

"Thank you, Koh," Aku bowed in farewell. "I will not forget this kindness."

"Oh, no, Aku… I wouldn't consider this a kindness just yet," Koh drawled and disappeared into the shadows once more, and Aku considered himself dismissed.

* * *

"Madam?"

First Lady Buttercup Raiko looked up from her book to find the butler in her library.

"Yes?"

"A Mr. Lau is here to see you."

"Oh! Send him in," she said, hurriedly shoving her book back into a shelf and taking a seat in one of the arm chairs. "Ring for tea as well."

"Very good, Madam." The butler curtsied and excused himself as Lau Gan-Lan, the Chief Executive Officer of Cabbage Corp., let himself in. He was dressed in his customary green attire (whether for cabbage or his native Earth Kingdom, she couldn't say) and Buttercup had to consciously hold back a disdained scoff.

"Good evening, Mrs. President."

"And to you, Mr. Lau. I trust everything is well?"

"Of course, Madam."

Tea was hurriedly brought in and set on the small table between the armchairs the two reclined in. Once the butler was out of earshot, Buttercup dropped all pretense of formalities.

"Well, let's get to the point: have you any news?"

"Yes. Aku returned from the spirit world last night. He's all set to meet the President later tonight and discuss. He's aware of the plan."

"Excellent. And the portals?"

"Well guarded, I can assure you. No one is getting in, except us, of course."

"Of course. But sitting about idly is no use. We must take action."

"Pardon me, madam, but patience is a virtue. Nothing good can come of acting rashly now. We have a plan in place and we must follow it."

"Oh, I suppose," Buttercup sighed, reaching for a biscuit. "But I grow tired of waiting. If only I were president…"

"Perhaps it is a good thing you aren't, madam."

Buttercup stifled her laugh. "How true. I love my husband dearly, but he's so frightfully dull. If only he knew…"

"Soon enough, he will, madam."

Buttercup Raiko smiled and Lau suddenly felt it was far more sinister than it appeared.

"Yes," she said, laughing softly. "I suppose he will."

* * *

It was nearly half past ten when Aku reached the President's mansion. He was worn out after his run in with Koh, but he had a part to play and couldn't rest until the bait had been taken. Trudging up the long staircase that led to the front door, Aku went over the plan in his head. There didn't seem any cause for concern, but one could never be too careful, he reasoned. Raiko would most likely swallow the bait, but Aku had a backup plan just in case.

The walk to the front door seemed to take forever, but at last, Aku made it. He pounded the giant knocker against the door and the massive oak doors swung open. A butler ushered him inside, took his name, led him up a lift and then down a corridor before Aku was finally face to face with the President in his office.

"Good evening, Sir." He said.

"Aku, good to see you. Can I offer you some sake?"

Aku nodded. He needed something strong after his recent journey into the spirit world.

"I trust everything is well?"

"Quite so, Sir," Aku said. "Everything is falling into place nicely."

"Any recent developments?" Raiko asked.

"Well, a few. The police are eagerly following our trail of red herrings. The gas is coming along nicely, and I believe we have a way to procure Jian's sword."

"Excellent. I should probably send a small group of my men into the spirit world to investigate. What do you think?"

"With all due respect, Mr. President, I would not advise it. At least, not yet."

"Why not?"

"Jian's sword has not been located, for one thing. And even if it is located, we must take certain measures."

"Such as?" Raiko asked, handing Aku a glass of sake.

"Well, the area must be accessible and we must prepare for any possible outcome...that sort of thing. But it's no good sending in men now while the sword's locations have not yet been ascertained."

"True," Raiko admitted. "You're right; I should have seen it myself.. I don't know what I'd do without you, Aku. You're one of my most trusted advisors."

Aku hid his smirk behind his glass, as he took a sip.

"You flatter me, Sir."

"Well, is that all?"

"That's all, Sir. Just dropped by to report."

"Good."

"I should leave," Aku said, downing his glass rather quickly. "Much to do and all that."

"Of course," Raiko said, shaking his hand. "Do stop and see Mrs. Raiko on your way out. She'd be delighted to see you."

"I'm sure she will," Aku muttered, chuckling to himself. But louder, he said, "Of course, Sir. I'll pop in really quickly."

And tipping his hat to the President, he set off in search of Buttercup Raiko.

He found her in her secret room with Lau Gan-Lan. One of the bookcases in the library opened up to reveal a hollow space where the First Lady had kept a few of her favorite books and and some other items she didn't want her husband to discover. She called it her library safe for it only really stored books and a single arm chair and a pendant lamp, but for years now, it had been her secret meeting room whenever she and Aku and Lau needed to talk.

"My husband will never find it," Buttercup had promised. "He's too half-witted to even think to look in an obvious place like this. He doesn't even know it exists."

And it was a good thing too, because Aku found himself in that secret room many times with Lau as they discussed their plans with the First Lady.

Tonight was no different.

"I met with the President," Aku announced, skipping all pleasantries. "He bought it. He won't send any men into the spirit world just yet."

"Excellent," Buttercup said. "I'm glad you turned up, Aku. Lau was just about to head home."

"Indeed," Lau said. "We despaired of you ever showing up. So, what news do you have?"

"Koh proved rather helpful," Aku said. "He confirmed our suspicions. We must convince Jian to help us."

"Can we find this spirit, though?" Lau wondered. "Do we know where she is?"

"Not too far, I'd imagine," Buttercup responded. "One only has to read the legends to know. Assuming it's true and that Umikei really has been confined to the pit and turned into the Fog of Lost Souls, Jian can't be too far."

"No, madam, she is not," Aku admitted. "The problem is, convincing her. The legend says that Vaatu corrupted her, turned her into a shell of her former self. But, if we can trick her into letting us use the fog and her sword, then we can use it against the Avatar if need be."

"Well, that's only a last resort," Lau said. "Assuming the gas does the trick, we won't need to use to sword to get rid of the Avatar."

Buttercup nodded.

"Your husband seems to be under the impression that this gas we're producing and the relics we're after are two separate things." Aku said.

Buttercup nodded. "I told you he wasn't very bright. He only approves because the Avatar is a thorn in his side. He thinks we're just going to crush her fighting spirit or some such nonsense. I didn't tell him the gas's main purpose was to ensure she does not and cannot interfere with our quest to get those relics."

"I see," Aku said. "Well, that would explain why he bought my pathetic excuse of not knowing the sword's precise location and such. I told him we'd have to wait to locate it, but honestly, if he can't see that we're really waiting to dispose of the Avatar first…"

Buttercup laughed. "I told you he wasn't the sharpest tool in the toolbox. He's so sweet and good to me, but so dimwitted sometimes, I don't know how he graduated from the University."

"In any event," Aku continued. "Things are coming along nicely. Before long, we should have what we seek."

"I like the sound of that," Lau said. "My poor father never thought to take you up on your offer, Aku. He always assumed you wouldn't amount to much. He often told me that's why he never hired you when you applied all those years ago."

"I'm happy to see you've learned from his mistakes, my friend," Aku laughed.

"Indeed," Buttercup said. "Both of you have proven valuable assets. I look forward to hearing more good news from you soon."

Aku recalled the conversation he'd had with Koh and grinned.

"Trust me, madam, you shall have it soon."


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: _We're getting into some serious stuff here in this chapter… Interrogations, spirit visions, rooftop brawls, and the like! Take a wild guess who gets involved in which bit, and let us know if your guesses were right! XD_

* * *

It was a quarter to one when Mako pulled up outside the hospital with Korra. A few satomobiles were parked in the nearly vacant lot and aside from that, there was no sign anyone was really there. Just beyond the doors, however, it was organized chaos. Nurses were rushing to and from rooms, healers were toting water pouches, doctors were going over paperwork...Mako didn't even know where to begin. Luckily for him, however, a nurse at the reception desk noticed him and offered help.

Mako showed her his badge. "I'm with the police force. I need to question one of the patients here."

The nurse nodded and her gaze flicked to Korra.

"Uh...I'm the Avatar," she said, unsure of what explanation the nurse needed. "I'm with him."

"Patient's name please," the nurse asked, reaching for a roster. Mako gave her the necessary information and the nurse scanned the list. "Third floor. Take the lift up and last door on your right."

Mako thanked her before he and Korra hurried down the corridor towards the lift.

The nurse watched them go and waited until they'd disappeared before excusing herself from the reception desk and hurrying to the break room. There was no one about, so she quickly barricaded the door and hurriedly dialed a number from the single phone placed there. She was hoping she wouldn't get caught because she had no way of explaining her actions without sounding suspicious (her break wasn't for another full two hours) but luckily for her, someone picked up on the other end.

"Shen speaking. Who is this?"

"It's Mizu, you dolt. Put Aku on the line and make it snappy." She hissed, glancing over her shoulder.

Shen grumbled on the other end but did as he was asked.

"Aku, here. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Boss. Just thought you'd like to know: that kid from the last batch of victims who turned up in the hospital is being interrogated. A police officer came earlier and a detective came just now to interrogate him."

"I see."

"The Avatar is here too. Should I…?"

"No! Do not do anything. Play your part, but leave the Avatar alone. We're not ready for her just yet."

"But, I can help. I'll..."

"This discussion is over," Aku said, in a voice that meant he wasn't going to change his mind. "Do not do anything."

"Boss…"

Aku hung up.

Mizu growled in frustration.

"This plan of his is taking too long," she grumbled. "I'll eliminate the Avatar myself, then he'll thank me."

And muttering to herself, Mizu stalked off towards the lift, intent on putting her plan into action.

* * *

Tonraq had just fallen asleep when someone tapped his window. Outside his closed room door, Naga was barking and Tonraq groaned. If this was a street kid trying to break in, this was the wrong house to do so. Fortunately for him, he was spared having to deal with any street kids tonight. But, what he found waiting was perhaps not much better. A woman dressed in dark blue robes stood just outside his window. In the darkness, it was hard to make out much of her features, but Tonraq had a pretty good idea who it was. If she was here in the dead of night, Tonraq surmised it couldn't be for anything good. He opened the window to let her.

"Aren't you a bit old to be sneaking in through windows?" Tonraq teased, as the woman gracefully vaulted over the sill and landed inside.

"Who're you calling old, old man? You're the one with grey hair, not me."

Tonraq laughed. "Touche. It's good to see you, Rumi. It's been a while."

"A couple years, but who's counting?"

"Please tell me you're here because you're bored and not because there's something to do."

Rumi smiled and pulled back her hood so her long, thick braid tumbled out.

"I'd have thought you'd be eager to get back into the fray," She said, grinning up at him. "Something's come up and your help is needed. I thought I'd help out, so I volunteered to go with you."

She slipped something bulky and wrapped in cloth out of her pockets and handed it to Tonraq.

"You'll need these," She said, handing the object to Tonraq. "You have five minutes. I'll be waiting outside."

And laughing, she strode out of his room.

Tonraq just sighed and rushed to get dressed. It took longer than he'd have liked, however. His mind was more occupied wondering about what could have happened that warranted such a late night visit. Rumi had been an old friend of his and Senna's but he hadn't seen her lately. He'd only caught a brief glimpse of her when he'd visited the bureau soon after his arrival in Republic City. And now, she'd shown up in the middle of the night for some sort of mission. Whatever it was, Tonraq suspected it couldn't be good.

"So what's so urgent you needed to wake me up in the middle of the night?" Tonraq wondered, once he'd gotten ready and they had left the house behind them.

"You remember how we mentioned we were investigating some suspicious activity regarding some of our targets?" She asked. Tonraq nodded. "Well, we might have a lead. Han, our initiate in the police force, is at the hospital with Chief Beifong and some others. They're interrogating a patient who might know a thing or two about all these strange occurrences."

"You think he'll know something about those relics?"

"I doubt it," she replied. "But he might know if anything the Triads are doing is connected to our hunt for them. Han said he'd fill us in, but perhaps it's better that we go too, just in case. He's still a rookie after all."

"And why couldn't you go by yourself?" Tonraq grumbled. "I was sleeping really well."

"Your daughter is involved, is she not? I thought you'd want to come along."

Tonraq sighed. "I do, but still. What does a man have to do to get some rest around here?"

Rumi laughed, her amber eyes twinkling. "I'd imagine they wouldn't have to be the Avatar's father for that."

"Probably," Tonraq agreed.

"We'd better hurry if we want to catch any of the interrogation. This way."

"So much for rest," the waterbender said, casting one last glance over his shoulder, before the shadows swallowed him whole.

* * *

"Evening, Officer." Skoochy rasped, as Mako and Korra entered his room.

"You should really stop calling me that," Mako pointed out. "I'm a detective now."

Skoochy shrugged and then winced when he moved his shoulder.

"We waited for you to show up," Saikhan said. Mako noticed the older man had been standing off to the side with Lin and Han, a rookie detective in his late teens, on the case.

Mako nodded before turning to Skoochy. The younger boy looked remarkably well for someone who'd apparently been left for dead. He didn't appear to have any major injuries or anything and other than the bags under his eyes indicating a lack of sleep, Skoochy almost looked...well.

"So what happened?" Mako asked. "Word on the street is you disappeared a couple of days ago and then you suddenly turn up by the warehouses."

Skoochy sighed. "I told the nurses when I came in: I don't really remember. The last thing I remember doing was steali- I mean borrowing twenty yuans from such rich guy outside Kwong's. Next thing I know, I'm here."

"But you've been missing for at least four days," Lin said, not looking impressed at Skoochy's tale. "You must have some idea of what happened to you?"

Skoochy shook his head. "I don't. I mean, it's all very fuzzy. I keep seeing a woman in white, but as far as I can tell, I've never seen her before."

"What do you mean you keep _seeing_ a woman in white?" Saikhan demanded. "Do you mean someone comes to visit you."

Skoochy shrugged and winced, again. "I don't know. Maybe you could jog my memory."

Mako groaned. Before he could react, however, Korra surged forward and had practically lifted Skoochy out of the bed.

"Listen, punk, this is a serious investigation. You're going to answer their questions and then _when_ you do, we might be more inclined to help you."

"Okay, okay," Skoochy grumbled. "Just watch the leg. It's broken, you know."

"No it's not." Korra responded, releasing him. "It's perfectly fine."

Skoochy blinked. "What? But, how...?"

"That cast is so badly wrapped, either you did it yourself or you got a rookie healer or nurse in training to help you. And if it really hurt, you wouldn't be sitting like that," Korra said, referring to his relaxed position.

Skoochy grumbled inaudibly.

"So what do you mean by a woman in white?" Saikhan repeated.

"Exactly that," Skoochy responded. "Every time I go to sleep, I keep dreaming about this woman in white and I feel like I've seen her before, but I don't know her. And the night I disappeared, I remember walking home from Kwong's and being followed by a woman too. But I can't remember if she was wearing white or not."

"Maybe you imagined it," Han put it. "Perhaps, it's just your mind trying to make sense of the ordeal?"

Skoochy shook his head. "Nope. I'm pretty sure I was followed by a woman."

"And that's all you remember?" Mako asked.

"Just about," Skoochy admitted. "I mean, I keep having weird dreams, but…"

"About what?" Saikhan asked, reaching for a small notepad concealed in his pocket. "It might prove useful."

"I don't see how me lying on the floor in my dream is useful," Skoochy said. "All my dreams are like that: I'm lying tied up on a floor and I can hear whispers but I can never see anyone until I see the woman in white. I chase her and she always gets away."

"Real helpful." Han grumbled. Beside him, Lin frowned.

"These voices you hear," Saikhan asked. "What do they say?"

"Some useless mumbo jumbo," Skoochy answered. "I don't see why it's important."

Korra glared at him. "Just answer the question."

Skoochy shrugged. "I don't know. Just stuff about weapons. Like a sword or something. And something about a spirit."

Han's gaze darted to Lin and he whispered something to her. Lin's frown only grew.

"A weapon, huh?" Saikhan hurriedly wrote something down on his notepad. "Anything else?"

"Just a name," Skoochy said. "Umikei."

Four pairs of eyes turned towards Skoochy inquiringly, but one did not. Korra's eyes had suddenly glazed over as if she was transfixed on something. The others assumed she was lost in thought, but they had no way of knowing the Avatar was no longer paying attention to a word they said. Her mind was more occupied trying to make sense of incomplete visions that flashed before her eyes, triggered by what Skoochy had said.

"I've never heard that name before," Lin said. "Is he the man who kidnapped you, kid?"

Skoochy looked somewhat upset. "I wish I knew. If he was, I'd have gutted him like a fish."

"Umikei," Saikhan tested out the name. "Sounds like an evil spirit to me."

"No, that's wrong," Korra said, suddenly. "He's…"

All eyes turned towards her.

"This is up your alley," Saikhan admitted. "So you'd know better."

"Is that a spirit?" Mako asked.

"I don't know," Korra admitted, looking perplexed. "I just…"

"Maybe the name isn't important, then," Saikhan said. "Regardless, our main focus here is figuring out what happened to you and if it's got any connection to the triads' recent activities. Mako tells me you're good at getting information."

Skoochy grinned. "It's easy if you've got the right friends."

"You were going to see Korra before you disappeared, right?" Mako wondered. Skoochy nodded. "What for?"

"Heard Zolt talking the day before I disappeared. Or, at least I think it was then. I'm not sure. Something about making a deal with her."

"And you were going to tell her?"

"I was going to snoop around some more, but yeah, that was the plan. Eventually." He left out the bit about asking for cash, seeing as they wouldn't appreciate _that_ tidbit.

"Did Zolt say anything else?"

"Just one thing, I can remember," Skoochy answered. "But it makes no sense. He said the spider is restless and the path is clear."

"Spiders, spirits, weapons," Saikhan grumbled. "This case is getting more complicated by the second."

"What did you just say?" Korra asked.

"This case is getting more twisted by the second," Saikhan repeated.

"No, before that."

Saikhan looked lost. "Spiders and spirits and weapons?"

Korra nodded. "Spiders and spirits," she repeated to herself. "And weapons."

"Does any of that make sense to you?" Skoochy demanded. "Because if it does. I'd love to know who…"

Korra suddenly covered her ears as if there was far too much noise in a room that had fallen silent.

Mako looked worried. "Korra?"

She didn't respond.

"If spirits are involved, this can't be good," Lin surmised. "But why…?"

"You think a spirit is involved?" Saikhan asked, frowning.

Lin looked at Korra who was silently mouthing something. "Probably. Something the kid said triggered something. Maybe Korra wouldn't know, but one of her past lives might."

"But she doesn't have access to them," Mako said. "Not since Harmonic Convergence."

Lin gazed at Saikhan's notepad where he's jotted down everything Skoochy had said.

"The answers are in there somewhere," Lin muttered. "If we could just…"

"It's all nonsense to me," Saikhan said. "But if you think there's a clue in here somewhere, it's worth looking into."

"Maybe Zolt was referring to a spider spirit?" Lin guessed. "Assuming that spirit theory is true. Ever heard of anything like that, Korra?"

Korra's eyes were still glazed over, as if she saw something that the others didn't.

"Fading," she said, quietly. "Raava...no time."

"Does she always space out like that?" Skoochy wondered, watching her warily.

"Shut up," Mako snapped, before turning to Korra. "Does any of this make sense to you?"

Korra seemed not to have heard him. She kept muttering to herself.

"Imprisoned...scattered...forgotten."

"Um…" Skoochy said, unhelpfully. "I don't think…"

"Korra?" Mako tried again. She didn't answer. Mako's worry only grew.

"Maybe you should get her some tea or something?" Han suggested. Mako didn't think it'd do much, but it looked like Korra could use it.

"Be right back," he promised, taking Korra's hand and leading her out of the room. Lin just nodded.

The hallways outside were deserted. Mako made sure Korra was really okay before he hurried down to the canteen. He didn't know exactly what was going on, but whatever it was, it kind of scared him. In all the time he known Korra, he'd never known her to be prone to episodes like this. He wondered what exactly she knew that he didn't.

She must know something, he thought, as he hurried back up to the third floor with a cup of tea. Or Skoochy might. Something he said…

When Mako finally made it to Skoochy's room, he found Korra almost just as he'd left her. That vacant expression was gone and she was glaring at the wall as if it had offended her. She looked frustrated to boot and Mako wondered what that was all about.

"Here," he said gently, handing her the cup. "You okay?"

Korra nodded.

"What happened?"

"That name Skoochy said; I know that name."

"Umikei?" Mako repeated. "Who is he?"

"I...don't know," Korra said, frowning. "I feel like I should, but I don't. And Raava…."

"Wait, what does Raava have to do with any of this?" Mako asked.

"I don't know," the waterbender repeated, running a hand through her hair. "But I keep seeing her."

Mako looked around. "Where?"

"Not here," Korra replied. "Like a memory or a vision or something. I don't know. It doesn't make any sense."

"What did you see?"

Korra shrugged. "I can't figure it out. Raava and someone else, another spirit. They're talking but I have no idea what's going on. Something about one fading and imprisonment and stones...it's all fuzzy and broken; nothing makes sense."

"You'll figure it out eventually, I'm sure," Mako said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I should probably get back inside."

"You sound so enthusiastic," Korra teased.

Mako shrugged. "I don't really want to go back in if you're not… I mean, since you, you know...not that you can't handle it or anything. You just...I mean...I'll just stop talking now.."

Korra laughed. "Very smooth, detective."

Mako blushed.

"I'll be fine," Korra said. "You go ahead."

Mako sighed. "Okay. Be back in a bit."

Korra nodded and watched him go. Once he had disappeared inside, she wandered to a bench that was placed a few feet away, by a small window that overlooked the side entrance. With nothing better to do, Korra took a seat and just watched the odd satomobile drive by while trying to make sense of what she'd seen. It was too fuzzy and too broken for any of the pieces to be put together and make much sense, but the waterbender was determined to try all the same. One minute passed, then two, then three, until Korra lost track of all time. She was so lost in thought she didn't even hear the door to the stairwell opening and didn't even noticed the figure with a syringe until it was too late.

* * *

Mizu wasn't going to lie; she was excited. Most people would assume that was the last emotion one would feel if they were going to eliminate a high profile figure, but Mizu was really enjoying herself. She could picture it now: the police force would find the Avatar's body and the news would hit the press quickly. By morning, the papers would print stories telling of the Avatar's demise and Aku would know how helpful she'd been. He'd see the error of his ways and then…

Mizu smirked. "Aku will see. He'll thank me in the end."

Her first stop was the stockroom on the second floor. Inside, there was only one nurse but he left shortly after picking up whatever he needed. As soon as he was gone, Mizu dug around for a syringe and found one in a matter of seconds. From her pocket, she produced a small vial of poison which she carefully emptied into the syringe. Once the clear liquid was in place, Mizu grabbed another syringe and filled it with shirshu poison, just in case. Once that was done, she hurriedly cleaned up any evidence she'd left behind and then made her way to the stairwell. The lift was too noisy and she risked alerting them by going up that way. Besides, the stairwell was strategically located right next to that boy's room, so Mizu figured that was her best route. Accordingly, she found herself silently climbing the stairs to the third floor just minutes later. Luck, she figured, was in her favor because when she peeked out from around the door, she found the Avatar sitting outside the room. She appeared to be sleeping because her eyes were closed and Mizu tiptoed towards, silent as a spirit. She had the syringe just centimeters from the Avatar's arm when everything went wrong. Korra seemed to sense someone's presence and her eyes flew opened and the minute she noticed the syringe, Mizu was airbent a good twenty feet back.

"What do you think you're doing?" Korra demanded. "Who are you?"

Mizu snarled and dove for her again, but then the most unexpected thing happened. The ceiling opened up and a woman in a strange, blue robe fell down, followed by a man. They landed gracefully on their feet and they hauled Mizu to hers and then made for the stairwell, with Mizu shouting profanities as she tried to break free. She had no luck. They took her to fourth floor, and from there, onto the roof before they finally released her.

"You miserable idiots," she cried, glaring at them. "Always meddling in things that don't concern you."

The man hauled her up a good half foot from the floor.

"That's my daughter you just tried to kill. I think this does concern me."

Mizu tried punching him, but the man was strong and clearly well built; her punch did nothing. Mizu cursed more. The man just glanced at his companion and rolled his eyes.

"Quite a mouth this one has," the woman said. "Where did you learn all those nasty words?"

Mizu screamed in frustration. She had been so close, and now...

"Hand over the poison," the woman said, as the man released her. "And you can return without any trouble."

Mizu's eyes locked on a target just behind them and she laughed.

"I don't think so," she replied, grinning as the Avatar approached. "This is too good."

The silly girl followed us, Mizu thought, gleefully. She still had a chance. From her pocket, she produced another vial and hastily emptied its contents on the floor, before reaching for a match. The woman seemed to sense what she was doing and tackled her to the ground before Mizu could light anything.

"You're insane," the woman decided. "You'll kill yourself."

"So be it," Mizu gasped, struggling as the woman tried to pry the syringe from her right hand. Mizu fumbled for a match with her other hand the woman was trying to restrain and by sheer luck alone managed to light it. She tossed it towards the liquid she'd spilled and the whole rooftop went up in flames.

That should deter the bear, she thought.

Now, she only had the woman to deal with. Gathering all her strength, Mizu forced her knee upwards and into the woman's stomach, winding her. The woman fell backwards and Mizu pounced on her, trying to get a bit of the poison in the syringe on her. She had some to spare, after all. But the woman was stronger than she looked and, although she had some difficulty holding Mizu back, she easily knocked the syringe away.

Mizu watched it roll away into the fire. The woman's companion and the Avatar were hastily putting out the flames and Mizu almost sobbed. Everything was going horribly wrong, so now she only had one option left. She produced a tiny dagger, her last weapon, from her pocket. Letting loose a guttural cry, she drove it straight down, towards the woman's heart.

But, she never made it. Something sharp extended from the woman's wrist and embedded itself in Mizu's side and she dropped her dagger, clutching her side in pain. When she pulled her hand away, it was stained red.

"What…?" She croaked. The woman pushed her away and then clambered up, snatching Mizu's dagger just as her companion and the Avatar extinguished the last of the fire.

"I warned you," she said, in a quiet voice. "It didn't have to end like this."

Mizu glared at her and despite the pain, pushed herself up on her knees. She couldn't stand just yet, but she would not lie at their feet and listen to them gloat.

The man walked over to her and knelt so he was eye-level to her. Mizu gulped. The woman, she could probably take. But she was nearly a foot shorter than this man and strength was on his side; she'd lost all her weapons, so if he attacked she stood little chance of gaining the upper hand.

"I don't know who you are, or what cause you serve," He said, in a voice that gave Mizu chills. "But let me make one thing perfectly clear: stay away from her."

Mizu gave him a baleful look and hauled herself to her feet and pushed past them. Her side was throbbing painfully and she wanted nothing more than to leave to tend to her wounds. She walked past a wide-eyed Avatar and made her way to the first floor. From there, she stopped only to pick up the keys to her satomobile and then drove herself to the only people she could turn to for help.

That was her first mistake.

When she reached the hideout, Shen let her in and Aku didn't look pleased to see her. His stern expression didn't waver once as Mizu explained what had happened. Aku sighed and said nothing when she finished. He offered her some food, which Mizu gratefully accepted and then had Shen help her dress her wound. Afterwards, he gave her a drink, which Mizu gulped down.

That was her second mistake. The minute she drained the glass, she realized the drink was laced with something. Dark spots danced across her vision, but by then it was too late.

"What did you do?" She demanded, as Aku's figure flickered back and forth from clear to indistinct.

"You deliberately disobeyed me," Aku said, in a voice that was somehow calm yet full of anger all at once. Mizu gulped. "I told you not to act and yet you disobeyed my orders and I can't have that. I'm afraid I'll have to punish you. I'm sorry, Mizu. But you brought this on yourself."

The last thing Mizu saw before she blacked out was Aku's sinister smile.

* * *

Korra was confused. She'd been going over recent events and nothing made sense. She had no idea why the nurse from the first floor had suddenly tried to poison her and she'd been caught off guard by the two figures dropping down from the ceiling. If that wasn't weird enough, they'd simply rushed off towards the rooftop of all places, with the nurse in tow. Korra had rushed after them. It probably wasn't the smartest move on her part to get involved in a fight that probably had nothing to do with her, but she was awfully glad she did. After the rooftop fire had died down and the fighting came to an abrupt end, the man approached the nurse. Korra thought there was something familiar about him, but it wasn't until he spoke that she was able to place it. She'd assumed that he'd warn the nurse to stay away from his companion and his words to her indicated as much. But just a second later, she realized who the speaker was and all she could do was gape as the nurse stalked off.

_Stay away from her,_ he'd said. Those words had been a warning, but not about the mysterious lady who was his companion, Korra realized. They'd been a warning for the nurse to stay away from _her_.

Cautiously, Korra strode forward and gently removed the hood that shielded the man's face from view. A pair of familiar eyes stared back at her.

"Dad?"


	9. Chapter 8

_A/N: We've got some pretty important stuff going on in this chapter. Tonraq's got some explaining to do, and Korra's also dealing with these broken visions she's been getting. We're also very thankful for all your support! This has been incredibly fun to write mainly because you guys have been enjoying it, too!_

* * *

There were some things in life that one couldn't be prepared for, Korra realized. Seeing her dad standing before her in a strange costume with a mysterious woman at his side was one thing. But watching said woman practically stab the nurse and watching her dad remain silent about that was another thing. Korra didn't know what to say and she spent a full minute just gaping, trying to process what she saw.

"Dad? What are you doing here?"

"I can explain," Tonraq replied. "But not here. Not now."

Korra looked angry. "Why not?"

Tonraq glanced around. "You never know who's listening. I'll meet you at home and I promise I'll explain everything. But for now, you should get back to Mako and the others."

Korra didn't like it, but she complied all the same.

She found Mako just as he was exiting Skoochy's room. He looked worried sick until he noticed Korra emerging from the stairwell and he all but tackled her with a hug.

"Where were you?" He demanded. "We heard a commotion, but we couldn't see anything or find you."

"Long story," Korra said. "But something urgent came up and I need to get back home."

"We're done here, anyway," Mako said. "I can give you a ride. I'm going that way."

Korra gave him a small smile. "Thanks."

Mako waved it off. "Don't mention it." He disappeared briefly to inform the others, before he and Korra set off for her house.

When Mako pulled up outside Korra's house, it was close to two a.m. The streets were deserted and all was silent save for the sound of Mako's idling motorbike engine. The sound didn't seem to bother Naga who was sleeping peacefully on her back, in the yard.

"Hey," Korra said, dismounting. "Want to come in?"

"I thought you had something to take care of?" Mako said.

"I do," she admitted. "But I could use the moral support. I don't think I'm going to like what I'm about to hear."

"What happened?"

"That nurse who helped us find Skoochy's room tried to attack me. Then my dad and some lady fell out of the ceiling and hauled her up to the roof, where we fought. And then the nurse got stabbed and ran away."

"_What?_"

"I know: it sounds ridiculous, but that's basically what happened."

"So your dad came to protect you; what's odd about that?" Mako wondered. "I mean, even if he did fall out of the ceiling like you said…"

"Everything," Korra exclaimed. "You'll understand when you see."

She led Mako up the path and unlocked her door. When they entered, they found Tonraq and his companion in the sitting room. That itself, was hardly cause for concern, but Mako noticed their apparel and his eyes widened.

"Told you," Korra muttered to him.

"What is he doing here?" Tonraq wondered.

"Mako's staying or I'm not listening to a word you say," Korra said. It sounded a bit harsh, but she was upset and not really in the mood to entertain his requests for privacy. "You wanted to talk, so talk."

Tonraq sighed. "You might want to sit down. This is Rumi, by the way. She's from the Northern Water Tribe."

The woman didn't look like it, but Korra didn't say anything.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Rumi said, extending her hand for a handshake. Korra didn't oblige and Rumi just brushed it off. "Your father has told me a lot about you."

Korra frowned. "What's going on? Why are you hanging out with _these_ people?"

"You don't have a very high opinion of us," Rumi noted.

"I prefer not to get involved with people who simply lurk in the shadows until it benefits them to actually get involved," Korra said.

"Is that what they told you?" Rumi laughed.

"It's what I know," Korra responded. "I've had run-ins with your kind before."

"Korra," Tonraq warned. "I know you're upset, but…"

"Upset?" Korra glared at him. "That's putting it lightly. I thought you of all people wouldn't keep secrets from me, Dad. Not after what happened with Unalaq."

Tonraq's eyes softened at that comment. He remembered how hurt she'd been after finding out about his past and how he'd kept it from her, thinking it had been in her best interest. It had almost cost him Korra's love and trust, and from where he was standing, it was very likely that he was on the verge of making the same mistake.

"Korra, I know this looks bad," Tonraq tried to explain. "But this really isn't like that."

"Really? Because the way I see it, this is just another secret you've been keeping from me," Korra deadpanned.

"Sit," Tonraq said. "Please let me explain."

"Korra, I know I'm not really involved in this," Mako piped up, "but I really think we can at least listen to what he has to say."

Korra sighed. "This had better be good," she said as she looked back at her father.

Tonraq felt almost relieved when Korra actually sat down, and he sat right next to her.

"After I was banished," he began, "I didn't have anything left. I didn't have a home or a family. All I had were my skills. The Assassins took me in and trained me. They helped me hone my talents towards helping a bigger cause. At the time, it was all I had ever wanted; until I met your mother."

Korra didn't respond, so he continued. "For a couple of years, I felt I had a purpose. It seemed like I was finally doing something worthwhile. But then, my friend replaced me on a mission, and… he died. This man, he… he had a family. A young daughter waiting to see him again. It hurt me to even think about it. And then your mother told me we were going to be parents, and I realized that could've been me; and I really didn't want to leave my family behind. So I left. I left just before you were born, and I'm only helping them now because they believe some people are planning to hurt you."

"People are _always_ planning to hurt me, Dad," Korra reminded him. "And your shenanigans with them are the kind of things you might want to tell your daughter about; especially after you'd promised me you wouldn't keep secrets."

"I was only trying to-"

"To protect me. Yes, I know. But from whom? You? Because you're the one wielding hidden blades right now."

Tonraq looked like someone had struck him on the head. He'd never known Korra to look at him with such anger or disdain, and it didn't sit well with him.

"I'm gonna need some time to let this sink in," Korra said. "I can't be around you right now. I'm going to take my stuff and go away for a bit. If you have more secrets about yourself to reveal, you can find me at Mako's."

"This is your house," Tonraq said. "You can stay here. I'll go stay in a hotel or something."

"I need someone to look after Naga," was all Korra said. She turned and without another word, she went into her room to collect her things. Five minutes later, Korra emerged with her belongings and wordlessly pushed past him and Tonraq could only watch as she made her way towards Mako's bike. Halfway up the path, however, she was stopped.

"Hey."

Korra turned around to find Rumi standing behind her. In the dim light that filtered out from her windows, she looked a good deal older than she was. Her dark hair seemed to have streaks of grey and her eyes looked tired, as if she'd seen more than most people her age had seen. It was odd, because Korra guessed she couldn't be much older than thirty.

"What now?" Korra asked.

"I know you don't like our kind," Rumi said. "But think carefully about whatever opinions you've formed about your father. Everything he's done has been to protect you; I haven't known him for very long, but it's not hard to see. Besides, there are worse things to be than an assassin."

"Maybe," Korra replied. "But, my dad never exactly mentioned any of this; it's going to take some time to process."

"Then take care that you don't process too long," Rumi said, cryptically.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've got a father who loves you and who's always had your best interests at heart," the older woman replied. "Don't turn bitter because he failed to tell you. Not everyone is lucky enough to have such a caring father or a mother."

"You must come from a long line of assassins, the way you wielded that blade; were you happy to discover your dad went around killing people?" Korra demanded.

Rumi just blinked. "My family was nothing of the sort. My father tried to kill me because I wasn't the son he wanted. My mother tried to kill my daughter when she found out I had a child at eighteen. I ran away from home with her and was forced to put her up for adoption because I couldn't provide for her. I spent three years working in a brothel before your father and a friend came in during a mission and then got me out. I joined the creed because they gave me a purpose in life and I was tired of feeling helpless. It had nothing to do with my family. And not all assassins kill; there's more to the creed than just senseless killing, you know?"

"And yet your name…"

Rumi shrugged. "That can't be helped. Your father is a good man. He's done a lot to help the creed and if he's kept secrets, it's only to protect you. Maybe he shouldn't have, but what's done is done. You've got a family that cares. That more than most girls have."

"Most girls also don't have fathers who lie to their daughters about keeping them locked in a compound," Korra muttered. "Or who hide their involvement in secret organizations like this."

"Maybe so, but if you had been in his place, what would you have done?"

"I would have told him the truth," Korra replied, eyes flashing. "I'd have told him anything he wanted to know."

"So you say. But perhaps he didn't think you could handle the truth."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Maybe he was worried about your reaction. After everything that you've been through, how well would you have taken this if he'd told you the truth when he made this promise you talk about, this promise not to keep secrets? Maybe your father was just worried about what you might think of him. Did that ever occur to you?"

Korra's eyes widened and Rumi gave the smallest of smiles.

"Have a nice break, Avatar, but don't think too hard."

Without another word, she turned and walked back the way she came.

Tonraq just watched as Korra settled in behind Mako on his bike and they sped off. But, Korra glanced over her shoulder briefly and their gazes met before she turned away.

"You'll have to do some serious damage control later," Rumi said. "But for now, it looks like you're off the hook, in a manner of speaking."

"How did you know?" Tonraq demanded. "About me being worried about Korra's reaction to the truth, I mean. It's not entirely why I never mentioned this to her, but it was part of the reason."

"Because you have the one thing my father never had: a heart; I wasn't the son he wanted and so he never cared what happened to me. But you love your daughter. It's not hard to see how much she means to you."

Tonraq nodded.

"You'd also better call Senna and let her know about what happened." Rumi said.

Tonraq's palm connected with his face. "This is going to one conversation I don't want to have, but I guess I'd better."

"Tell Senna I said hello."

"I will. Thanks for talking to Korra. I wanted to tell her, but…"

"I know. And it was nothing. I owe you, remember? If it hadn't been for you and Senna, I'd still be in that brothel. Anyway, I'd better go. I'll notify you if anything comes up."

Tonraq nodded and watched as Rumi disappeared into the darkness of the night. Once he could no longer see her silhouette, he returned in doors and then headed straight for the sitting room where the phone was. He had a call to make.

* * *

Korra didn't know what to think. The only thing that seemed clear to her was the fact that her father had kept a huge secret from her. Again.

As soon as Mako unlocked the door to his apartment, she walked in with her bags and set them in his, and now their bedroom. She proceeded to grab a change of clothes and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Mako sighed in resignation and decided to put on a pot of tea. He knew how much Korra adored her father and how much it'd hurt her to find out about all the things he'd kept from her five years ago; from Unalaq, no less. And after what he'd seen back at her place, things were worse than ever.

His attention quickly shifted to Tonraq's companion. She'd called herself Rumi. He didn't think it was even possible, but he felt like he'd met her before. He simply couldn't place it, but something told him that he had absolutely seen that woman before.

"You're thinking awfully hard."

Mako whirled around to find Korra standing behind him with a smirk on her face. She'd changed into something more comfortable, and it seemed like she'd cooled off. He was glad to see she'd cheered up a bit, because the frown didn't suit her.

"Is there any reason you're sitting there with a pillow on your face?" Korra wondered, as she joined him on the couch.

"I was trying to remember," Mako admitted. "That lady hanging out with your dad...I know her. I've seen her before, I think. It must have been when I was much younger, but…"

"But?" Korra prodded.

Mako shrugged. "I can't place it. She looked vaguely familiar and yet…"

"Don't worry about it too much," Korra said. "I'm sure it's not that important."

"Maybe," Mako acquiesced, pouring himself a cup of tea. He offered one to Korra, but she declined.

"Some day, huh?" Korra wondered out loud.

"Yeah," Mako agreed. "This case isn't making any sense. There's too many leads that turn up with just dead ends. And whatever Skoochy said about the spirits… I don't even know if he was telling the truth or if he made that up to get us off his case."

Something awakened in Korra's mind at that last statement. It felt like a rush of anger for even doubting the events that had led to Vaatu's defeat all those millennia ago. Suddenly, she was in a vast expanse of what seemed like the world as it used to be twenty thousand years ago. Then it flashed to Vaatu, looming over a crumpled, wailing form. He was laughing maniacally, and the sound was jarring. She wanted to shut her ears to the sound again.

And then the scene flashed to something else entirely. She was in a dense fog, and she couldn't get out no matter how hard she tried. She was screaming, but no sound left her throat. She couldn't understand what was going on. All she knew was that she was trapped, and that the fog was slowly swallowing her whole.

"Korra," she heard a voice call out in the distance. It seemed like it was far away, and she had to reach its source somehow.

"Korra!" the voice cried, a little louder this time. She struggled against the fog, but it only grew thicker.

"KORRA!" the voice jolted her awake. She found herself sitting on Mako's couch, sweating profusely. Her breathing was still shallow, and she still felt disoriented from all the shifts and changes in her vision.

Mako was sitting right in front of her, looking as pale as she thought she did. He was holding on to her hands tightly, afraid that she might disappear the moment he decided to let go.

"I'm fine," she rasped when she could manage it.

"What happened to you?" Mako asked.

"I… I don't know," Korra replied. "I think… I think Raava's trying to tell me something, but… I can't figure out what it is! Whatever it is, it happened millennia ago. At least… that's what I think I… I can't tell."

"Let's get you into bed. Come on," Mako said as he carried her easily towards the bedroom.

He eased her onto the bed and walked into the bathroom. She vaguely heard the sound of running water and watched as Mako emerged with a wet towel.

"Let's cool you down," he said gently as he wiped the wet towel across her forehead, and continued to wipe the sweat off of her shoulders and arms.

"Thanks," was all she could manage once he finished.

He simply smiled. "Are you okay?" he asked her again.

"I guess I just need some rest," Korra conceded.

Mako tucked her in and slid in beside her. She curled up to him as soon as he did, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He wondered what could possibly have caused these jarring visions. She'd never had them as long as he'd known her. Something about that name had triggered something neither of them could understand. And if he were to be honest with himself, he wasn't sure that he even wanted to.

* * *

This is Shiro Shinobi with breaking news."

Lin's hands hovered above the off switch for the radio. She'd only had it on to distract her from her poor excuse of a lunch, but now that the radio was broadcasting breaking news, she figured it was worth a listen.

"A nurse has been reported missing from one of the city's hospitals," Shiro was saying. "Sources say she disappeared early last morning, during her shift and hasn't been seen since. Friends who tried to contact her reported not hearing from her since two a.m. Anyone with any information is asked to please phone the police department at this number…"

Lin switched it off before Shiro began reciting. The door to her office opened just as she picked up a case file and she sighed.

"Oh, it's just you," She said. "I was expecting Saikhan or Mako. What do you want?"

"I have information," Tonraq said. "That missing nurse was mentioned in the paper. Thought I'd warn you."

"About what?"

"She might be connected to this case of yours. The other night, when you were all at the hospital, that nurse tried to attack Korra. She was carrying poison on her."

"Mako mentioned something about that," Lin admitted. "We heard some sort of commotion in the hall, but it looked like you had already taken care of it by the time we got there."

"Sort of," Tonraq replied. "She ran off after she got injured, but considering her desire to kill Korra, I don't think she's just an ordinary nurse. I just wanted to let you know. I don't know how much Mako told you."

"We're going to look into it," Lin said. "But Mako and Saikhan are out following leads, at the moment. I'll have to assign someone else to look into the report."

"Han could do it," the waterbender said. "That way, he can pass along the information. I need to be sure that nurse won't try something again."

"That'd work," Lin admitted. "Saves me the trouble of having to find you and your people and informing you guys. Have you uncovered anything?"

"Not much," Tonraq said. "Our target is still elusive, but it's possible we might come across something that'd help you with this case. I'll let you know if we do. "

* * *

"The prototype is nearly finished, but the design…"

"Is still off. The wings need to be adjusted and the exterior needs some refining and…"

"'Scuse me, ma'am, but we've got company."

Asami looked up from a set of blueprints she'd been going over with her assistant only to find Mako and Saikhan approaching.

"Mako!" She cried, hugging him. "What brings you here?"

"Business," he said, smiling a bit. "Have some time to spare?"

Asami nodded. "Yeah. What's up?"

Mako glanced at Saikhan then Asami. "We need access to your warehouse."

Asami raised an eyebrow.

"A vic was found there," Saikhan said. "We just want to be sure no one stashed anything in your warehouse."

"Alright," Asami said. "But I have no idea what's going on."

"That's what they all say," Saikhan muttered.

Asami just glared at him, "You can't seriously believe I had anything to do with this. I don't even know what's going on."

"Asami's not involved," Mako promised the older officer. "It's just a coincidence."

"I'd like to verify that for myself," Saikhan explained. "Until then, I can't rule anyone out. The warehouse if you please, Miss Sato."

Asami grumbled but reached for her keys all the same.

"Did you walk here?" She asked Mako.

The firebender shook his head. "Saikhan drove."

"You can ride with me," she offered. "He can follow."

Saikhan didn't look too pleased, but neither Mako or Asami gave him another option.

"So what's this all about?" Asami asked, once they were on their way with Saikhan's car trailing behind them.

Mako did his best to explain the case to her thus far. It probably was supposed to be confidential information, but at this point, considering the amount of his friends that knew, Mako didn't think it'd matter if he told Asami. After all, there was a chance she might know something he didn't.

"So Skoochy was found near my warehouse?"

Mako nodded.

"I saw tire tracks in the area," Asami admitted. "But I assumed it was one of my workers using a forklift or something. I didn't think anything of it."

"Have any of your shipments been tampered with or anything?"

"Not that I know of. Why?"

Mako shrugged. "Just wondering. I mean, the Triple Threats are importing goods, so I just wondered if they're maybe sabotaging other's stuff in the hopes of selling their goods at a higher price."

"No, my stuff's been fine. No one's touched it."

"Just another lead that goes nowhere, then," Mako said. "And sorry about Saikhan, by the way. He means well, but…"

"I know," Asami grumbled. "But really. I've been way too busy to get involved in anything other than my own work and even if I was running around with a bunch of weirdos, I'd be smart enough to cover my tracks."

"You don't need to tell me," Mako laughed.

"Hey, where's Korra?" Asami wondered, making a hard right and smiling with satisfaction as Saikhan missed the turn. "Wasn't she helping you? Last I heard, you guys were following some lead."

"Came up empty-handed," Mako admitted. "And Korra's taking the afternoon off. She mentioned something about a migraine, I think."

"Oh. Well, it's good to know she's taking a break; she looks like she could use it. Didn't she just finish some huge conference with world leaders before helping you?"

"Probably," Mako replied. "But she's a lot like someone else I know."

He nudged her.

"Are you implying I do nothing but work?" Asami demanded, laughing. "You're one to talk. When was the last time you took a day off?"

"Detectives don't get days off," Mako said. "Besides, I like what I do. Most of the time, anyway."

"Well, that's good because we're here. Snoop away, detective."

Mako got out of the vehicle and shut the door just as Saikhan's satomobile rounded the corner. He didn't look too thrilled.

"Trying to ditch me, Miss Sato?" He wondered, joining Mako.

"Why of course not, officer," She responded, innocently.

Mako stifled his laugh behind his notepad and Saikhan whacked him with his cap.

"Alright, detective. That's quite enough. Let's get to work."

Mako didn't have high hopes of finding much and he was disappointed not to be proven wrong. This lead proved useless. Any tire tracks in the area were from vehicles Asami owned and operated and there was nothing connecting her to the case other than Skoochy mysteriously turning up just outside her warehouse. Saikhan didn't look too thrilled to discover that the lead led nowhere and that Asami's alibi checked out.

"Another trail gone," Saikhan grumbled. "I was hoping this one would at least take us somewhere and give us something to work with."

"Is that all you need from me?" Asami asked.

Saikhan nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Miss Sato. You're free to go. We'd better get back to headquarters, detective."

Mako nodded. "Just give me a minute," he said, as Saikhan slid in to the driver's seat. The firebender turned to Asami. "Think you could do me a favor?"

She nodded. "Sure. Is this related to the case?"

Mako shrugged. "Hard to say yet, but I need your help. Do you happen to have a blueprint of your estate? Maybe your dad drew one that included his workshop hideout?"

Asami nodded. "Yeah. The police returned them to me after he was locked up. I've still got them. Why?"

"Those tunnels were pretty extensive. I'd like to take a look at them, if possible. But I don't want Saikhan knowing. He'd just assume it was a lead and drag us out there to investigate. I'd like to analyze them first."

"I'll dig them up and send them to you," Asami promised. "Although, I don't see how it'd help. Those tunnels go far, but not into Triple Threat territory."

"I'm just curious. At this point, we know so little and any leads we do follow always turn out to be red herrings, so I thought maybe looking at things from a different angle would help."

"You think these guys are operating underground?"

"Haven't got a clue," Mako admitted. "I've got more questions than answers, but I think Lin was right. Something weird is going on, and I'm determined to get to the bottom of it."

* * *

"I hope you like noodles, because that's all I got."

Ami looked up just in time to see Hana set a takeaway container of noodles before her and she smiled.

"Thanks."

"This is a nice spot," Hana said, looking around. "Hard to find a place like this in the city."

Ami nodded. The two were seated on a small, grassy knoll, under the shade of a gnarled tree as the backwaters of Yue Bay lapped at their feet. Trees were hard to come by especially by the quay, but they'd chosen a hideout so remote, it was almost as if they had their own tiny forest that bordered the perimeter. When they weren't working, Ami often liked to sit somewhere quiet and think and this spot was a bit out of the way, so Ami was hardly disturbed.

"You must be thinking awfully hard," Hana said, reaching for her own food and taking a bite. "You're too quiet. What's wrong?"

Ami poked at her stir-fry and sighed. "Do you ever wonder what we're doing?"

"Uh...not really. I thought this is what we wanted."

"I thought so too," Ami admitted, fiddling with her braid. "I was so sure working with these guys would lead to something, but...I don't know. I feel like this isn't for us."

"What do you mean not for us? We're doing what Amon couldn't do. We'll succeed where he failed."

"Yeah, but…" Ami sighed and threw a stone into the water. Hana just watched it fall, wondering what was wrong. "Ever since we left that kid near those warehouses uptown, I've been thinking about all this. I mean, that kid couldn't be more than sixteen and Aku just had us gas him like it meant nothing to him."

"Is that what you're worried about?" Hana laughed. "Hey, it was just one kid. I wouldn't even have followed him and brought him here if I knew it'd make you upset."

"It's not entirely about that. It's just...none of this means anything to me, Hana."

Hana looked lost. "What...what are you talking about?"

Ami looked so despondent, Hana didn't know what to say. "I mean, all this stuff we're doing now. "

"Ami," Hana said, setting down her food and taking her girlfriend's hand. "What's going on? You're not getting cold feet now, are you?"

Ami gave a bitter laugh. "I got cold feet ages ago. Eighteen to be precise."

Hana looked puzzled. They'd met when they were fifteen and had both decided to join the Equalists at eighteen. She wondered what Ami meant.

"What do you mean?"

"I joined the Equalists out of spite," Ami admitted. "I agreed with Amon on some things, but mostly I joined out of spite. And because of you."

"Me?" Hana echoed.

Ami nodded. "You were my best friend. I didn't want to lose you. You were so passionate about joining Amon and helping the cause, I figured, I'd just tough it up and brave it out."

"I don't understand," Hana said. "If you didn't believe in all that stuff, why didn't you just tell me?"

"Maybe I was just too scared of your reaction," Ami replied, watching the water. "Part of me still is, so I held off on telling you the truth. But the more I keep thinking, the more I realize I'm not really on board with Aku's plan."

"But you signed us up for it? Why did you…?"

"Don't you see?" Ami said. "He was offering money. Lots of it. We were going to go to Ember Island or the Earth Kingdom, somewhere far away. Just the two of us, like we'd planned. With the amount Aku was paying, it'd have been easy. He said we just had to help with this and as soon as it was all done, a hundred thousand yuans was ours. That's mainly why I agreed. I didn't think it'd be this. The more I'm learning of his plan, the less I'm liking it."

"I wish you'd told me sooner," Hana said, softly. "Then we wouldn't be here."

"You're not mad?" Ami wondered.

"No," Hana admitted. "I haven't been entirely honest with you myself."

Hana held out her hand and the tiniest of flames flickered in her palm.

"You're a firebender? But you…" Ami just trailed off.

"Never had any training," Hana admitted. "And I was adopted; my parents were Equalists. I didn't think it'd be wise to tell them. So I've kept it a secret. And when I met you, we made all these grand plans and then you joined the Equalists and so I decided to join to stay with you, even if it meant keeping that a secret. But if I'd known all this before, we could have just gotten a job or something. Lived somewhere nice and quiet, maybe. We could've just escaped."

"I thought of that," Ami said. "But who would hire an Equalist? That's why I took Aku's offer."

"Oh," Hana said, a little forlornly. "I don't suppose we can back out now. Not without being killed. We know too much."

"What are you saying? That you'd leave with me?"

Hana nodded earnestly. "Hey, you're all I've got, remember? If you go, I go. And if you're not happy here…"

Ami smiled and threw her arms around Hana. "I was so afraid you wouldn't understand."

"No, never."

Ami looked over her shoulder to where the crumbling mansion stood, with the warehouse peeking out behind it.

"We'll just have to bide our time," She decided. "Then, when we get the chance, we should leave."

"Just like that? Aku will be watching, most likely. He'll know."

"We'll sneak out," Ami said. "That'll be the easy part. But after that...well, Aku will probably search for us and try to have us killed. It'll be a life on the run."

"And you're okay with that?" Hana asked.

Ami nodded. She laced her fingers with Hana's and smiled.

"Yeah. As long as we're together, I think we'll be just fine."


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

_**A/N: **Things are getting weirder in this chapter! Mizu is missing and Saikhan still hasn't made any break in Skoochy's case. Aku, as usual, is up to no good. We have familiar faces joining us, too! We hope you enjoy it! Tell us what you think!_

* * *

"Well, this is the place."

Han looked up from his file and turned to his colleague who had been driving. He'd expected the drive to take longer, but Mizu's apartment loomed large before them. It was an old, crumbling edifice that looked like it hadn't had a good cleaning in decades. It was in an out of the way sort of area just off the Bay, and not really where Han imagined a nurse would live. Then again, he also couldn't imagine why an Equalist would become a nurse, so he didn't say anything about that.

Han unbuckled his seatbelt and slid out of the police cruiser. His colleague did the same just as another patrol car with four more officers pulled up behind them.

"So, what are we looking for?" One man asked. "Chief was in a rush so we didn't get too many details."

Han held up the file with a faded photograph of a young woman, maybe in her early thirties.

"This is our vic," he said. "Nurse by the name of Mizu. She disappeared from work two nights ago and hasn't been seen since. Chief had a tip that this might be connected to another case. So we're to interview the landlady and find out more about her and canvas her apartment."

Everyone nodded and climbed the short flight of stairs to the landlady's first floor apartment.

The landlady was a sharp woman in her seventies, with greying hair and a piercing stare, and was definitely someone who didn't seem to like the stir it'd cause when people noticed so many officers milling about, investigating what was most likely a crime.

"We don't get too many tenants as is!" she complained. "And if they find out that one of them was involved in some shady business…"

"Calm down, Ma'am," Han cut in. "We don't know anything yet. We're just trying to find why she hasn't returned yet. Please lead us to her apartment."

Han's patience had already worn thin by the time the landlady grumbled and fished out the key. He didn't like the idea of sitting around and waiting while he could be doing something as exciting as tracking down certain spirit world artifacts. He didn't think this investigation would lead to much.

"Let's get this over with," he muttered to himself as the landlady opened the door and they all walked in.

Any complaints Han had about being assigned to the menial task of investigating a missing woman were forgotten the minute they entered the little apartment. Posters from five years ago when the Equalist movement had been at its peak were plastered all over the walls. Amon's masked face stared back at them as if from beyond his watery grave.

"Now this," Han remarked, "is very interesting."

They ran a sweep of the entire drawing room, and came up with nothing unusual except that everything was covered in a thin film of dust.

"Uhm, Han," one of the officers stammered. "Y-you might wanna take a look at this."

Han frowned. What in a woman's bedroom could possibly have unnerved an officer so much? He was fully prepared to scoff at his colleague's squeamishness, but the second he noticed her choice of wallpaper for her personal space, he simply couldn't trust himself to speak.

The walls were covered with larger than life paintings of Amon wearing nothing but his mask. And while Han had seen some pretty unusual stuff, he simply gawked at how the woman had signed each one of them personally, and in some well chosen spots.

"I guess she has a taste for human anatomy," his colleague joked, but Han very much feared that these images would forever be seared into his permanent memory.

"Just search the room," he groused as he averted his eyes from a particularly lewd gaze Amon seemed to be giving him.

The landlady looked like she'd been cursed to live through ten thousand years of darkness. She couldn't possibly imagine a meek woman like Mizu indulging herself they way she so obviously had and she stormed out as fast her as her old legs would carry her when she had had enough of the wallpaper. The officers just let her go.

"We've got some letters!" one of the officers announced, suddenly.

Another detective snatched up the letter and read it.

"To my darling Amon...oh, gross. This lady had some serious problems."

"What does it say?" Another asked.

"I count down the days until we meet again, so that I may...I can't read _that_."

The letter changed hands again and a different officer scanned it. His reaction remained neutral until about two minutes later, when he suddenly blanched.

"She's got a vivid imagination," he said, hurriedly shoving the letter into Han's hands. "Excuse me."

Han was almost afraid to read it, but if it contained a potential clue, it had to be read.

_To my darling Amon,_

_Another day goes by and I still lay here alone in my bed thinking of you, wishing you were here beside me. I count down the days until we meet again so that I may hold you in my arms. I cannot forget our last encounter, when you handed me a box in our hideout under Mr. Sato's mansion and ordered me to put its contents away. The way you said my name…_

"Am i really reading this?" Han asked.

"It gets worse," an officer offered. Han gulped.

_Your voice makes me tremble and I only wish you'd notice me so that I may act upon my impulse to…_

"Monkey feathers! I can't finish this," Han said, in a voice that was probably three octaves too high. "Bag the rest and let's take it to Chief for analysis. She'll know what to make of it."

"And the drawings too?"

"I guess," Han said. "Might be useful."

"Huh," An officer said. "Amon's got a tiny little mole right by his…"

"I don't want to hear it." Han said quickly, covering his ears.

"This lady is weird," another officer said. "How do you think she got this close to Amon to draw him like that?"

"Maybe she seduced him?" A third answered, holding up a crumpled piece of paper he'd found. It was hard to make out what was on it initially, but once the sheet had been smoothed, Han wanted to gag for the umpteenth time that hour.

"Ugh. I'm liking this investigation less and less," he decided, turning away from the picture of a nude woman (probably Mizu herself) curled up next to a disheveled and nude Amon. "Can we please leave now?"

His companions were out the door before he even finished his sentence. Han sighed. He turned to go, but a particularly large (and detailed) portrait of Amon caught his eye, placed strategically just over the bed. Han glanced at it for a minute, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He loosened his tie just a bit and fiddled with it until the room became too hot for him to bear. He quickly strode out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"I've got to admit though," Han thought to himself, "the woman's got a good eye for detail."

* * *

"Another dead end," Saikhan grumbled as he searched the warehouses Skoochy had been found in a few days ago. The place had no clues whatsoever to indicate where Skoochy had been before and what had been done to him.

"This doesn't make any sense," he thought as he scanned the area again. "It's too… normal. It doesn't look like anything happened here."

And yet, he remembered how Skoochy had mentioned hearing voices; voices talking about some very strange spirit stuff. Spiders, a sword, and something about a fog. Skoochy's leads had been way too vague.

Having had enough of the place, Saikhan drove to the nearest tea house by the Bay. He decided that it couldn't possibly do any harm, so he ordered some Jasmine tea and had half a mind to just finish the cup and leave, but a group of people seated in the back caught his attention. It was a small group, two men and a woman, and they were relaxing in the back, talking quietly amongst themselves. Saikhan recognized them as officers; they'd worked together at headquarters, but he hadn't seen most of his colleagues ever since Raiko had assumed control of restoration efforts and had ordered a good many officers to play sentry duty and guard the spirit portal and the surrounding areas. They waved him over once they noticed him and Saikhan eagerly slid into the booth, intent on catching up.

"Evening," he said. "I didn't expect to find you guys here so early."

"Uneventful day," said the woman. "We got off work early."

"If you can even call it work," one of her companions muttered, taking a rather large gulp of his tea and then making a face as the liquid scalded his tongue. "We stand around all day supposedly 'guarding' the area. We only move if we're told to. Hardly what I'd call work."

"I thought you were helping with the restoration?" Saikhan said, puzzled. "No wonder it's taking so long."

"That's what I thought too," the second man said. "That's what we were told anyway, when Raiko practically dragged us from headquarters. He said restoration was moving so slowly and that area wasn't recovering even though it's been some time since Kuvira attacked and we had to help speed things up. And most of us were game for it anyway. We wanted to help. But after the first week on the job, it became apparent that we weren't going to be doing much of anything other than standing around guarding the portal. The President's men were doing everything else."

Saikhan was even more confused. The Elite Military Corps had been Raiko's idea. Its inception had been the result of Raiko's paranoia and mainly just another way for the man to exert force wherever he deemed necessary. Raiko had promised the citizens of Republic City that his men would aid the police force in helping rebuild and/or restore any of the sectors that sustained damage, but for the first year after Kuvira's attack, he hadn't done much. His men had provided some aid, but nothing that had really helped speed up recovery. The second year saw more progress, but the city owed that to the police force; Raiko's men had been off in the Earth Kingdom then. It was only recently that the President had really started getting involved in efforts to undo all the damage Kuvira had done. Just before this strange case Saikhan was investigating, the President had practically commandeered the police force and had ordered them to aid his Elite Corps in restoration efforts. Saikhan had always assumed that progress was being made, but his colleagues complaints indicated nothing of the sort. He couldn't fathom why the President had taken control of nearly all the city's officers, if they weren't doing anything other than standing around beside a portal. How many officers did one need for that sort of thing, anyway?

"I always thought you were helping," Saikhan said. "Chief is still getting calls asking for help."

"I wouldn't exactly call what we're doing 'help,'" said one. "We're paid to do a lot of nothing and I thought it was a pretty good deal at first, but I'm beginning to feel useless."

Saikhan sipped his tea and pondered.

"It's odd," he said, at last. "I can't make heads or tails of it. If the President has his men doing everything, why are you lot just being ordered to stand there?"

One man shrugged, waving the waiter over and placing an order for a snack before speaking.

"It's all very strange. We just do as we're told because we're under his supervision for the time being and he doesn't have any qualms about firing people; he fired his top marshal, you know?"

"There's more," the woman offered. "I mean, since you brought up how odd this is. I've always wondered why we're there when no one goes near the portal. Most of the people are too scared to enter it and only the very brave or very stupid would try. Not a soul is entering that portal and yet, we're guarding it as if we're guarding gold."

"Yes," Saikhan said. "Chief told me as much. We were investigating a case and it came up."

"You're probably rather short staffed, aren't you?"

Saikhan nodded. Beside him, one of the men started, as if he'd just realized something.

"Just a second," he said. "I've just remembered something. What was that we were saying about people not going near the portal?"

"I said no one would enter." The woman repeated.

The man snapped his fingers. "Well, you're wrong there. Saw someone enter just last night."

"And is this unusual?" Saikhan wondered.

The man barked a laugh. "'Course it is! The President's Elite Corps mostly guard the portal while construction crews and clean-up crews work, but sometimes, they leave. When they're off, we officers are stationed all around and one Elite Corps chap usually hangs around to make sure we're doing as we're told. Last night, I was on duty with a bunch of other officers and most of the Elite Corps had gone on break. Two of them, though, just hung about. Most of the time, they never let anyone in, but last night, some fellow drove up around midnight- the tail end of my shift- and entered the portal. Those Elite Corps men just let him in."

"Just like that?" Saikhan demanded.

"Well, they exchanged pleasantries and talked for a minute, that sort of thing," the man replied. "But he just walked up to the portal and slipped through and the two Corps officers said nothing. So I started wondering. Since my shift was ending anyway, I decided I'd follow the car the man came in; he had been driven by someone else. Followed it a good four miles before I lost it at a fork in the road. Didn't learn much."

Saikhan nodded. "That's understandable. The driver was probably trying to lose you anyway."

"Probably."

"Can I ask where you lost him?"

"Two blocks down from Main Street, where the road forks. One road leads to the arena, the other to the bay where the…"

"Warehouses!" Saikhan said, suddenly. "Of course. If you could, I'd like all the details you can give me. What did this car look like and what was the exact route you followed?"

"Certainly."

The man fished for a piece of paper in his pocket and Saikhan offered him a pen. He drew a crude map, but it was enough for Saikhan. He grinned, then quickly downed his tea before standing up and shaking hands with his colleagues.

"I've got a lead to follow, but it was good to see all of you. Good luck with work," he called, as he slid out of the booth and rushed to his car. His comrades cries of good luck were drowned out in the roar as the engine sprang to life and Saikhan hurriedly sped off.

* * *

Aku groaned in frustration as he passed the same tree for what appeared the be the eleventh time. He had no idea what time it was or how long he'd been in the spirit world; the only thing he knew for certain was that he was hopelessly lost and hadn't found Jian's tree. Maybe it had been foolish entering the spirit world from the new portal, but it proved convenient. Aku wasn't very familiar with this area of the spirit world, but a five minute drive sounded better than meditating into the spirit world after a long and stressful day and Aku didn't think he had the patience to meditate in, so he'd driven. But, he hadn't accounted for the change in scenery and how disorienting it was. He'd assumed it was fairly easy to reach the tree from his current location, but all he'd done was wander in circles.

"Damnation," he muttered, kicking a rock. "Where is that blasted tree?"

"My, my," said a voice above him. "Someone's in a bad mood."

Aku gazed up to find a strange looking spirit perched on one of the branches of the same tree he'd passed before.

"What has that poor rock done to make Lord Aku mad?" The spirit wondered, hopping from branch to branch, climbing ever higher.

"You flatter me, spirit. I am no lord. Just a man with vision."

"Vision indeed," the spirit said, swinging on a branch.

"Could you tell me where I might find the Fog of Lost Souls?" Aku asked.

"Lost souls must remain lost, Lord Aku."

"Just directions, please. I'm not looking to rescue anyone."

"No," the spirit agreed, alighting on a branch just two feet above Aku. "I very much doubt you are. There is a path."

"That one?" Aku demanded, pointing to a winding pathway that snaked off into some strange looking forest-like area. "That's such a winding and twisted path."

"Much like the man who walks it." The spirit replied.

"And it will take me to the tree?"

"It will take you to what you seek," the spirit confirmed. "But I warn you: you make not like what you find."

"I'll take my chances." Aku said. "Thank you, spirit. You've been most kind."

The spirit gave a creepy sort of laugh that made chills run down Aku's spine. It was cute in an odd sort of way, and that laugh did not match the spirit's rather innocent looking features.

"Oh, Lord Aku, how funny," the spirit chittered. "Mistaking our advice for kindness."

"Beg pardon?"

"Off, off." the spirit laughed, leaping up into the branches. "Such a show to see. Good luck, Lord Aku."

"Just a moment," Aku ordered. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing," the spirit replied, hanging upside-down from a branch and swaying, though there was no breeze. "Off you go."

"I will go," Aku thundered, feeling suddenly irritated. "I'll follow your crooked path and find what I came for."

"Is the path crooked or the man who wanders it? I wonder."

"Stop your useless chattering. I am nothing of the sort."

"Is that what you tell yourself? How delightful."

"You miserable spirits are all alike," Aku grumbled, setting off. "Always talking in riddles and spouting nonsense."

"Nonsense?" The spirit looked affronted. "My, you are upset! But, I'd hardly call it nonsense."

"All this talk of crookedness is just that: nonsense. Now, be gone."

"As you wish, Lord Aku," the spirit laughed, bowing. "Before I leave, however, I just thought you might like to know that she's very much alive."

"Jian? I'm aware of that you dolt!"

The spirit's laugh echoed as it climbed higher into the canopy.

"Someone closer, Lord Aku. Much closer."

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about."

"I'm sure you do. How is it that you tried to do it? Knife to the heart? Death by drowning? Suffocation?"

"Be gone, you meddlesome pest!"

"Such orders you give, Lord Aku. Well, if it pleases you, I shall go."

"Good. So much the better," Aku roared, glaring at the spirit. "Leave me in peace."

"Beware, beware." The spirit laughed, hopping from foot to foot. "Beware, beware, beware…"

The spirit's voiced echoed all around Aku as it disappeared into the canopy.

"Stupid spirits," Aku grumbled, walking off. "I'll prove it wrong. I'll prove everyone wrong. I shall succeed."

That became his mantra and Aku all but chanted it the whole walk and was so focused on reciting those lines that he didn't notice the tree until he walked into it. He'd have let loose a torrent of curses on the spot if it hadn't been for an eerie voice that echoed somewhere to his right.

"Dinner."

Aku took a step back as a large (and ugly, he noted) spider spirit scuttled up to him. According to the legend, Jian had once been a beautiful spirit, but Vaatu had cursed her and tricked her into changing forms, so that she was a hideous spirit with little recollection of what she had been. The legends hadn't been exaggerating. This spider spirit was large and hairy and had beady eyes, deadly sharp pincers, and a stench that made Aku want to retch.

How the mighty have fallen, he thought.

"Hello." He said, but it came out more as a squeak.

The spirit watched him closely. "Dinner."

"No, no," Aku responded. "You wouldn't want to eat me. I just drank a vial of poison."

All eight of the spirit's eyes blinked. "How stupid do you think I am?"

"Not at all, really," Aku replied politely. "Spirits are rarely deceived."

Jian seemed to consider him for a moment, and then snapped her pincers in annoyance. "That's right, human. Go away. You don't belong here."

"I'm here," Aku said in a measured tone, "to help you. I have been sent to free you."

That piqued Jian's interest. "Free me?"

"Yes," Aku replied. "You have been a prisoner here for more than twenty thousand years."

"This is my home," Jian countered. "Why would I want to leave?"

"Because Umikei needs your help, too," Aku replied.

The name triggered something in Jian, but she couldn't understand it. Something in her stirred, and she felt a very strong need to throw caution to the wind and help this stranger who'd clearly come a long way to meet her.

"I have never been a prisoner here," Jian insisted. "You cannot be telling me the truth."

"I have no reason to lie," Aku replied. "I have nothing to gain from this visit. You could overpower me in a few seconds and throw me into that fog."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't?" Jian demanded.

"Because," Aku muttered through gritted teeth, "I'm here to help you and Umikei."

Jian was trying to size him up, and for his part, Aku simply waited even though his patience was wearing thin, wondering if his bluff had worked. He'd waited for decades, searching and running into dead ends until Koh had pointed him in the right direction. Could it possibly be as simple as assuring her that they'd finally be free again?

"What do you seek?" Jian demanded, her eyes flashing. "You speak of things I cannot understand… except that name. It reminds me of something, but I cannot tell what it is. Who do you claim has sent you?"

"Koh sent me," Aku replied. "He led me to you. All I need is for you to let me take a little bit of the fog."

Again, Jian seemed to consider him with curiosity. "Humans don't survive the fog, stranger. It is why I throw all who trespass here into it. How do you intend to take it?"

"Don't worry," Aku replied as he moved forward. "I have my ways."

He pulled out a small contraption with a motor and a switch. A strange nozzle-like apparatus was attached to the front end and it hummed to life when Aku flipped the switch. Aku walked the few meters to the edge of the pit and carefully extended his hand, so that the machine was close to the fog. Once the fog was near enough, the little contraption sucked some in and stored it in the hollow compartment in the back.

The spider spirit didn't look impressed, however.

"How is that of any use to you?" she asked, not bothering to hide her contempt.

"Trust me," Aku assured her. "It's more than enough."

And without another word, he walked away, leaving Jian to wonder whether she did the right thing by sparing this stranger's life.

* * *

"Young lady, you are in so much trouble."

Korra held the earpiece at arm's length and counted to three before she ventured to use it again.

"Hi, Mom."

"Where have you been?" Senna demanded. "I've been calling your number for the past two days and only Naga has been picking up. She's probably destroyed your phone by now. How did you even train her to answer it?"

"I didn't," Korra replied, smiling at the thought of Naga trying to knock the earpiece off so the call would go through. "How did you know I was staying at Mako's?"

"Your dad told me," Senna replied. "Is everything alright? He mentioned you were upset."

Korra sighed. "I'm okay."

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way. Your dad and I had hoped to tell you sooner, but with everything that was going on…"

"Wait," Korra interjected. "You knew?"

Senna was silent for a minute before replying. "Yes."

Korra was silent for several minutes. Under normal circumstances, she'd have argued and told her mother exactly how much she disliked this, but she was far too tired to pick a fight now. Ever since she'd returned from the hospital after interrogating Skoochy, she had been badgered by fragmented visions. They came at random intervals and showed her little that made sense and always left her with a headache. It had been happening more frequently these last couple of days, so Korra had been too drained to do much of anything other than try and sleep it off or lounge about, waiting for the headaches and visions to pass.

"Korra?" Senna tried again.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you," Senna said, sincerely. "But you already had so much on your plate, you didn't need this too."

The Avatar suddenly sounded a lot more tired when she answered. "I know, but it still would have been nice to know of this beforehand, rather than getting it out of Dad, after watching him and some lady nearly kill someone."

"Lady?" Senna echoed.

Korra nodded, but then remembered Senna couldn't see. "Yeah. Her name is Rumi. Dad says she's from the North."

Senna must have been smiling, because she sounded a lot happier. "Rumi? I haven't seen her in ages. How is she? Your father always gets to have all the fun."

"Some fun," Korra muttered. "Is there anything you need, Mom? Why'd you call?"

"Can't a mother call her daughter because she feels like it?"

"I guess," Korra conceded. "Listen, Mom… I just need some time, okay? I'll talk to him eventually. Just not right now."

She heard Senna sigh. "I understand, Korra. I'm really sorry we couldn't tell you sooner, like I said."

"I'll try and call you soon," Korra assured her. "Am I still in trouble, by the way?"

Senna chuckled. "No, but you'd better make up for it by visiting soon."

"I'll try," Korra replied with a smile. "Bye, Mom."

She hung up and walked back to the little makeshift bed she'd turned the couch into and tried to get some rest. For some reason, every single time she closed her eyes, she ended up seeing flashes of a monumental fight, and a crumpled figure crying out in the distance, and swirling fog which seemed to be brimming over a pit, as if struggling to free itself.

The scene suddenly changed to reveal what appeared to be an injured spirit lying before Raava. She was looking down upon it and trying something, but it didn't seem to be working. The injured spirit's form flickered back and forth, but try as she might, Raava couldn't help the spirit. Korra could only make out flashes of light, but when the light receded, that same spirit she'd seen earlier was always smaller and uglier. Whatever Vaatu had done, it had changed the spirit. Korra couldn't explain how, but could still sense a bit of Vaatu's dark energy pulsing inside the spirit, keeping her trapped in this hideous, new form.

Before Korra could make sense of what was happening, Raava and the spirit dissolved into nothingness and she was whisked away to a battlefield. Something large loomed overhead and Korra looked up to find a massive warrior spirit. She had piercing, amber eyes and was clad in black and gold armor that glinted in the sun. Her hair floated about her in a manner that reminded Korra of Raava, but it was easy to see this spirit was certainly not Raava. She carried a long sword which didn't seem to be forged out of any metal Korra had ever seen. She wielded it with such ease as she fought Vaatu and for a while, Korra watched them spar. Light met dark as the sword clashed against Vaatu's tendril. For a while it seemed as if they were evenly matched, but then one of Vaatu's tendrils closed around something and he hoisted it into the air. Korra watched in horror as the warrior dropped her sword and ran for Vaatu, but the dark spirit's tendrils smacked into her and she landed in a heap, several yards away. Vaatu's laughter was all Korra heard as the battlefield around her grew fuzzy and distorted.

When her vision cleared, Korra realized she was in a place that looked oddly familiar, but she couldn't place it. Some distance from her, the same beautiful warrior spirit she'd seen battling Vaatu earlier was sitting in the shade of an old tree, talking in words Korra couldn't understand. At first, it looked like she was talking to herself, but suddenly, a wispy fog pooled around the warrior spirit and the face of a young man stared back. He was smiling benevolently as the warrior spirit talked to him and they seemed so utterly happy just to be in each other's company. Korra smiled, but something soon wiped her grin off her face.

The young man's eyes widened in pain and his smile faded in a second. His mouth opened as if to scream in pain, but no sound came out. Behind him, Vaatu sprung up and something dark poured forth from within him. Korra watched in horror as the fog around her turned from light to dark and then back again. Vaatu wasn't destroying the fog, but whatever he was doing was causing the fog spirit and his essence to fade and turn into something far more sinister than a spirit that simply read minds. The face in the fog contorted once more and the man's mouth moved, though Korra couldn't hear. When he was done speaking his bit, Vaatu suddenly sprung up like a snake and his tendrils squeezed harder around the poor spirit as the same dark energy bled from Vaatu and onto the fog. And though Vaatu hadn't harmed a hair on Korra's head, she felt everything the poor fog spirit seemed to feel. Luckily, though, the pain didn't last long. Soon, the spirit world faded away and the ground opened up beneath her. With nothing to catch her or break her fall, Korra fell.

That was when she woke up.

Mako's apartment was still dark and Korra's stomach clamored for food, but the Avatar was more occupied trying to piece together what she saw. She simply couldn't make heads or tails of it, but there was nothing she could do to stop seeing whatever Raava was trying to show her. She only hoped that she'd finally be able to understand why Raava wanted her to know all this in the first place.

"Raava," she gasped when she could manage it, "what are you trying to tell me?"

A bleary vision of an Air Temple and a familiar family flooded her vision, so she tried to get up and walk towards the door to the Island. It must have been too soon though, because as soon as Korra made it three feet from the couch, Mako's apartment dissolved into blackness and Vaatu's huge form was suspended over her. His sinister laugh echoed in Korra's ears and the next thing she knew, Vaatu had swallowed her whole.

* * *

Mako carefully placed the takeout boxes inside the little metal compartment attached to his bike. He'd promised Korra some fresh seaweed noodles, and he fully intended to keep it. He revved the bike into gear and sped off towards their apartment.

"Things have a funny way of working themselves out," Mako thought to himself as he drove home. It was hard to believe he and Korra had patched things up in such a short time; after all she'd been through, Mako had assumed she would need lots of time and space. Fortunately for the both of them, they'd been able to work things out fairly quickly and now she was living with him. It may have only been a temporary arrangement (for now, anyway), but it still made Mako smile. And although the circumstances under which she'd come to live with him were unpleasant, he couldn't have been happier about the outcome. And if he drove all the way home with a huge grin plastered on his face...well, he reasoned, that was his business and nobody else's.

When Mako reached home, he parked the bike in his allotted slot and took the stairs two at a time with the takeout containers in his hand. He couldn't stop smiling at the thought of the look on Korra's face when she saw what he'd brought her. Though she didn't say it much, Mako knew she grew homesick every now and again and authentic Water Tribe food always cheered her up. He couldn't wait to show her the whole spread he'd gotten. Seaweed noodles, stewed sea prunes (Mako still didn't understand how she could eat the stuff), arctic hen with citrus dressing

"Knowing Korra's she's probably already set the table and is waiting." The firebender said to himself. But, when he opened the door, he was greeted by another sight entirely.

The apartment was dark when he entered, which was odd. Korra usually lit the lamps well before Mako came home (he had a nasty habit of working far later than he should) but for once, the whole apartment was shrouded in darkness. Everything looked as it had when Mako left and the firebender frowned to himself. He knew Korra had complained about a headache, but it wasn't like her to let that stop her from doing whatever needed to be done.

"Korra?" Mako called, groping for a switch. "Hello?"

There was no answer.

A thousand horrible thoughts ran through Mako's mind, but he pushed them all aside and flicked the switch the instant he found it. The overhead lights filled the apartment with their soft, orange glow and Mako suddenly wished he had let them stay off. The sight that greeted him was anything but pleasant.

Korra was lying haphazardly on the floor, several feet from the entryway, as if she'd just fallen over. She looked pale and her breathing appeared to be ragged but Mako was quick to check that she was breathing at all. Once he'd checked her pulse, he hurriedly placed her on the settee as gently as he could then rushed around the apartment, making sure all the windows had been closed and all the locks, sealed. Once it was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that no one had broken in and harmed her, Mako tried his best to revive her.

He failed.

He spent five minutes frantically calling her name and trying to shake her awake, but Korra didn't even stir, which scared Mako. In all the time he'd known her, he'd never seen her like this and he hadn't the faintest idea what to do. He thought of ringing for an ambulance, but quickly decided against it. Even if one did come, there was no guarantee that there would be doctors enough to tend to Korra right away; he'd seen firsthand how busy the hospital was. Even if Korra was admitted, there was little chance she'd be tended to before other patients, especially since all her vitals looked okay. That only left Mako with one other feasible option and he reached for the phone, hurriedly dialing a number.

Someone picked up after the third ring.

"Who is this? It's almost midnight. Some of us are trying to sleep."

"Meelo, put your dad on. Now, please."

"Who is this?" Meelo repeated. "If you're trying to sell us your books again, we don't want them. Take a hike, buddy."

Mako could hear Pema's outraged "Meelo!" in the background and the phone changed hands twice before Tenzin was on. Mako did his best to explain what had happened and it wasn't long before he found himself on Air Temple Island with Korra. Tenzin and Pema had set up a room for her and had asked several healers to look after Korra, but after a sleepless night with no results, it was evident Korra needed more help. Mako was nearly at his wits end because hadn't a clue who to call if healers weren't making any progress, but Tenzin seemed to have a plan. He made a couple of phone calls and then let Mako know help would soon be arriving. In the meantime, Pema offered Mako a room next door to Korra's and even though Mako accepted, he already had a feeling he'd be spending most of his time keeping an eye on Korra.

"Help is on the way," Tenzin promised, when he noticed Mako's grim expression. "For now, all we can do is wait."

* * *

"Nasty weather outside."

"Oh, Mom, please tell me you didn't wander out in the storm."

Katara hung up her parka on the peg and looked innocently at Kya who was surveying her as if Katara had misbehaved.

"Just went to make sure the woodpile hadn't blown away."

"Mom!"

"What?" Katara asked, laughing.

"That wind could've blown _you_ away."

"That?" Katara laughed again. "That was nothing. I've bedded in tents less sound than this house during storms worse than this."

The waterbender chuckled to herself and set some water to boil.

Kya sighed and closed the book she had been reading. "I guess, but I really wish you wouldn't do that. Tenzin's always on my case about me being too lenient…"

She trailed off when she noticed her mother standing with her hands on her hips. That was never a good sign.

"Honestly, you kids take after your father far too much for my liking," she teased. "Why none of you took after me, I'll never know. He was always like that; never liked me wandering out if there was the slightest chance I might get hurt. But even he got over it."

Kya was about to retort, but someone pounded on the front door. Both waterbenders exchanged glances.

"Who would be foolish enough to wander about in weather like this?" Kya wondered, undoing the lock. The door swung open and Senna was ushered in by a gust of wind. Kya gaped for a minute before she hurriedly shut the door and helped the younger woman out of her snow-covered wraps. A mere three minutes later, Senna was seated in front of the hearth with a warm cup of tea in her hands.

"What on earth were you doing wandering out in weather like this?" Kya demanded. "I mean, Mom and I are glad to see you, but I didn't think you'd make the trip in a blizzard."

Senna smiled, apologetically. "I'm sorry. I was going to wait until morning, but I was going crazy. I had to come."

"What's wrong?" Katara asked, gently.

"Tonraq got a call from Tenzin. He said something happened to Korra and she's not waking up. Tenzin was trying to get through to you, but with the storm…"

Kya and Katara nodded understandingly.

"I told Tonraq I'd wait until the storm let up to ask you for help, but I've been too worried to just wait it out."

Katara looked pensive. "Even if we could make it to the docks in this weather, no sane captain would ever take us out of port now."

"We could borrow a boat," Kya suggested. "But those would be slow and it'd take forever to get to Republic City."

"When Tonraq called, he said he had already booked passage on an ocean liner that's heading out tomorrow morning. He said he was able to get through to City Hall, but couldn't reach you." Senna extracted a small envelope filled with yuans and passed it across the small table to Katara. "That should cover the expenses of travelling there and back."

The older woman looked at the envelope for a minute before she slid it back to Senna, smiling softly.

"That's not necessary," she promised. "We'd have gone regardless."

Senna breathed a huge sigh of relief and set her teacup down, long enough to hug them both.

"Thank you. You don't know how much this means."

"I think I do." Katara said, though she didn't meet Senna's gaze. Her eyes were transfixed on the window. Senna followed her gaze and frowned as the wind picked up. She prayed to every spirit she could think of that this storm would let up soon. But, for the time being, all she could do was wait and watch as the blizzard outside blanketed everything in white.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**_A/N:_** _Korra tries to piece the visions she's been having together and it proves to be a little more difficult than expected. Saikhan finally has a lead, but ends up stumbling upon something he shouldn't have._

* * *

Hana sighed as she checked the ingredients again. There was one on the list that concerned her greatly, and she was really hoping that Aku wouldn't find it. But as long as it didn't affect her little band of Equalists, or Ami in particular, she couldn't care less what they used to get the job done.

"We're still missing a key component. It'll bind this whole thing together," Hana told the others working with her in their makeshift lab.

"And I know just the thing," another voice cut in.

Hana turned to find Aku standing with them, smiling triumphantly as he showed them something in a tiny vial that he held in his fist.

Hana couldn't believe her eyes. He'd actually managed to get some of the fog. The man really was as mad as everyone had suspected.

"How'd you manage to get it?" Hana asked, still a little too dazed to fully comprehend what this meant.

"That," Aku replied, "is not your concern. The point is that we have it now, and we need to use it. Get your gas masks on. We're working on this until it's finished."

* * *

It was early when Mako was roused from his sleep. The first rays of sunlight were just spilling over the horizon and peeking through the clouds, bathing the whole bay in a hazy, grayish-yellow light. Mako sat up, stretching to relieve the stiffness in his joints and sighed. The door to Korra's room was partially open and the firebender peeked out. Other than the occasional healer running by, no one save for Tenzin, came in.

The atmosphere at Air Temple Island was somber, reflecting the mood of its residents. Korra had been there for some time now and the healers were still attending to her, but it seemed like nothing was working. She remained unresponsive, seeing or experiencing something no one else could.

"You can't be here, Detective," one of the healers said, trying to send Mako away. "This room is for healers only!"

Mako's brow furrowed. "No, I'm staying."

"But-"

Mako finally tore his eyes off of Korra's comatose form and glared at the healer. She was a stoic, old woman just about his grandmother's age. He knew she was only trying to follow protocol, but he wasn't in the mood for following any rules while Korra's life seemed to be in danger; especially from a source he couldn't detect.

"Mako, please," Tenzin cut in, "you should rest. I'll let you know as soon as my mother and sister arrive. Just get some rest until then."

Mako's grip on Korra's limp hand tightened. "I'm staying right here."

Tenzin looked like he wanted to say something else, but he got an earful from the little old healer well before he could convince Mako to get some rest. If the circumstances had been different, Mako might have laughed; it as pretty entertaining watching the wizened, old healer rant about her abilities and yell at Tenzin who towered a good foot over her. But, Mako didn't find it that funny...mostly because Korra remained unresponsive despite the healer's efforts.

"I've never been so insulted in my life," the old woman screeched, pacing the room. "To think I've been dismissed in favor of some southern peasant healer and her daughter. Hmph!"

Mako didn't think Tenzin appreciated that last bit, but to his surprise Tenzin laughed and then quickly regained his composure in time to herd the old woman out of the room. Mako breathed a sigh of relief when she left. He had nothing against her, but he couldn't wait until Katara and Kya came. Maybe the old healer was good, but she was no substitute for someone more experienced. In any case, Katara and Kya were personally friends with Korra, and Mako knew they'd stop at nothing to help her.

_If only they'd arrive sooner,_ the firebender thought. But all Mako could do was wait.

Mako must have dozed off again, because the next thing he knew, the door to Korra's room was thrown open and the sound of suitcases being set down echoed across the sparsely furnished room. Mako barely had time to gather his bearings before someone addressed him.

"I can't say I'm surprised to find you here," Mako heard an old woman say.

He found Master Katara smiling down upon him along with Kya, who had a knowing smirk which he found way too smug for comfort.

Mako wasn't going to admit it, but he could've cried tears of joy right then. Korra's condition wasn't improving (though he supposed it was a blessing that it wasn't worsening either) and until the passenger liner from the South Pole docked in Republic City, Korra was left virtually unattended. Mako hadn't been able to do much since the old healer had stormed off and whisked away her apprentice, so he was grateful Katara and Kya had finally arrived.

The two waterbenders must have been jetlagged after their journey, but they didn't waste any time. As soon as their belongings had been properly stored away, they proceeded straight to Korra's side and spent the better part of the next few hours healing her. By the time they finished, the gray afternoon had turned into a rainy evening and all they had to do was wait, something Mako was growing increasingly tired of doing.

"Korra will be fine," Katara reassured him. "She needs some rest and, by the looks of it, you do too."

"I'd rather stay here," Mako said, gesturing to her bedside where he'd kept vigil for the past couple of days. The older master's smile softened and she nodded understandingly.

"Some food would be good though," she pointed out. "You'll be of little help if you pass out from exhaustion."

"I'll eat in a bit," Mako promised. "Can you tell me what was wrong with her?"

Katara frowned. "Hard to say. There's no physical injury."

"Then why won't she wake up?"

"There's some sort of block," Kya observed as she moved the water across Korra's arm, trying to clear her chi paths.

"It seems like she's reliving a memory," Katara said. "All her energy is going into processing it. Let's get her into a healing pond."

Mako carried her easily towards the little pond they'd set up for the healers to work with on the island. He gently lowered her body into the water and watched as the two waterbenders worked on clearing Korra's chi. He wasn't a healer, so he didn't understand what they saw, but he trusted both of them so if they said Korra would wake up, Mako believed them enough to finally get some shut eye.

* * *

Senna had decided to get off at the main dock of the City instead of the island so she could meet her husband and collect Naga before setting off for the island. She found Tonraq waiting for her at the front door as she arrived, and she didn't look pleased.

"I know, I know," Tonraq sighed. "I messed up."

"You had _one job_, Tonraq. All you had to do was finish your work at the bureau and return home."

"Was I supposed to let that woman poison our daughter?"

"No, but jumping through a ceiling in full assassin gear was not the best idea," Senna deadpanned.

"How is she?" Tonraq asked gently.

"You can see for yourself. We're taking Naga and going to the island," Senna declared.

* * *

Mako woke up the following morning to find Korra's bed empty and nearly had a panic attack when he couldn't find her. Air Temple Island was large and there were dozens of places she could have been, but incidentally, Mako ran into her in the corridor, just as she was emerging from the baths. He was so pleased to see she was up and about, and feeling better that he didn't care who was watching and just swept her off her feet in a tight hug, spinning her around as he laughed right along with her.

"Ahem!" they heard a familiar voice cut in.

Mako smiled sheepishly as he noticed Korra's parents and set her down gently.

Senna had the same, knowing smirk that Kya had given him, and Tonraq looked like he wanted to crush something, but resisted the urge so as to not upset his daughter more.

"Let's go get something to eat," Senna suggested and led the way to the dining hall.

"I feel almost back to normal," Korra said, as they all gathered around the table ladened with food. Between Pema, Kya, and Katara, there was more food on the table than she thought possible and it didn't help that her mom had brought several containers of food from her apartment either. "Except for the visions. Those haven't completely stopped yet."

Senna frowned. "Visions? What visions?"

Korra shrugged. "I don't know. They don't make any sense. I keep seeing Raava and this giant spirit warrior. The spirit warrior keeps talking to a man in the mist."

Senna looked apologetic. "This isn't up my alley, so I'm afraid I can't help you make sense of this, but Tenzin might know."

Korra looked inquiringly at the airbending master, but Tenzin just shook his head.

"I'll admit for all my reading and studying I don't recall anything like this," Tenzin conceded. "But it's possible that these spirits no longer exist. If that's the case…"

"No, I think they _do _exist," Korra said. "Raava's trying to tell me something, but it's like she doesn't remember herself. I can't make sense of this."

"Do these spirits have names?" Pema asked, pulling little Rohan's leg off the table. "It's possible that someone here must have heard of them."

"The man's name is Umikei," Korra said. "That much I got. As for his giant warrior friend...well, I've got nothing."

"I recognize the name," Katara admitted, chuckling a bit. "That's an old legend, even older than the story of Tui and La."

"You know who he is?" Korra demanded. "That's perfect! You can help me decipher this vision."

Katara smiled but shook her head. "I'll tell you what I know, but I don't think it'll make things much clearer."

Korra looked confused. "Why not? If you know…"

"The spirit you're referring to is old, perhaps as old as Raava herself. There was a legend my grandmother used to tell me. She heard it from her own grandmother, but…"

"But?" Korra prodded.

Katara shrugged. "It's a legend that was passed down as a fable amongst our tribe for ages. Crucial details might have been lost. The version my grandmother told me might not match at all with what you're seeing."

"But it would at least give me some place to start," Korra pointed out. "Please, Katara. I need to know. Right now, I've got nothing other than this one name to go off of."

Katara nodded. "Well, I don't know how much of this fable is true, but it is said that Umikei is the spirit of the fog and that he was once a very kind, gentle spirit who helped all those who needed help and were worthy. When I was a girl, the elders used to say that he could read minds and judge one's character so we were always instructed to be good, obedient children or he'd punish the wicked."

"That's it?" Korra wondered.

Katara fiddled with the hem of her dress and looked pensive.

"No," the old waterbender admitted. "There's more. I don't know if such a thing is possible, but my grandmother told me that Umikei didn't remain a kind and gentle spirit for long. An evil spirit corrupted him and turned his essence dark; they say he became the spirit of the Fog of Lost Souls. The elders used to say if you were a disobedient child, Umikei would eat you. The two versions never really made sense, but it was probably not meant to; only little children really took heed and the elders mainly used that story to make sure we were good, little children. I think it was meant to scare us into being good, but after a certain age, a story like that didn't work."

"I've heard of a similar story on one of my travels once," Kya said. "But it doesn't match with my mother's at all. The names were different too, but I think the spirits were the same. Supposedly, there was this giant warrior spirit named Jian and she had fallen in love with another spirit but, the way I heard it, it seemed like they did something bad because Raava changed their forms and kept them trapped in newer, less powerful ones. One of them became the Fog of Lost Souls and the other...well, no one really knows. They say the two had to live out the rest of eternity in their new forms as a reminder of what they'd done wrong."

"That doesn't sound like Raava," Korra said. "But that name does sound vaguely familiar."

"I've heard of it."

All eyes turned towards Jinora who'd been silent up until now.

"There's a ton of books in the library from the Air Temples. I think I came across Jian in one of those books."

"That's a lot of books though," Ikki pointed out. "You'll never find it. Between all the books you, Dad, and Grandpa Aang collected, you'll be in there forever."

"It will probably take some time," Jinora admitted. "But I could find it for you. I know I've seen that name somewhere before."

"We'll all help," Kya said, winking at her nieces and nephews. "We should be able to find it in no time."

Jinora nodded eagerly. "Kai will help and maybe we can even recruit Opal."

Kai, who'd been invited to eat with them, looked less than thrilled but when Jinora glared at him he nodded, feigning enthusiasm.

"Love to read," he said. "So much fun. Yay."

Ikki just sighed. "I hate reading."

"What'll you do in the meantime?" Senna wondered, turning to face her daughter.

Korra shrugged. She really wanted to piece together this puzzling vision, but something told her the answers would take a while to come and it would be longer still before it all made sense.

"If you want to take your mind off of spirits, I might have a solution," Mako offered. "I've got to get back to that case and I wouldn't mind the help."

"After what happened, I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Tonraq said. "That crazy nurse could come back at any time."

"But she went missing," Mako said. "We haven't seen or heard from her since."

"If she wanted to attack, she had the perfect opportunity to do so," Korra admitted. "She could have easily done something while I was out."

"She has a point." Senna said.

"Whose side are you on?" Tonraq grumbled.

"Both," Senna replied. "But Korra's all grown up now; we can't keep treating her like a little kid."

"Yes, but still. A parent's instincts…"

"Dad," Korra sighed. "I know you want to protect me, but…"

Tonraq smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. But someday, when you have kids of your own, you'll understand."

Korra rolled her eyes, a gesture which didn't go unnoticed by Katara and Kya. The old waterbender master stifled her laugh by taking a sip of her tea but Kya smiled sympathetically and patted Korra's hand.

"Don't worry. It gets better," she promised. "All dads are like that. My dad was."

"He couldn't have been as overprotective as my dad," Korra countered.

"He was probably more so," Kya said, grinning. "Do you have any idea how mortifying it is to have to walk to school with your dad every day for five years? And then all the kids would crowd around him and ask him questions and he'd do his stupid marble trick. It was a miracle I made any friends when I was younger."

The whole room erupted in the laughter and for the first time in a long time, Korra felt content.

* * *

Aku stood at the edge of precipice and peered down into the chasm. All was silent around him, save for his own heartbeat, which seemed to be incredibly loud. He was positive that a spirit passing by could hear it. Aku took a deep breath and steadied himself before slipping into the dark suit he'd brought along. The suit was old and worn, but Aku couldn't care less. What he really needed was the mask on top. Equalist technology had improved since Amon's time (not that the Equalists were much of a force to be reckoned with now) but this old gas mask suited his needs just fine. Aku unzipped the suit and slipped in, making sure the mask was properly in place before gathering up his contraption and standing on the edge of the chasm. He'd tied a rope around himself and the other end was tethered to a tree not too far away and he yanked on the rope a few times for good measure. The knot seemed to hold so Aku took a deep breath once more, then jumped off the cliff.

He landed on the ground just several seconds later. The Fog of Lost Souls curled around him, moving about the pit as if it was a living, breathing entity. Aku was reminded that it had been at one time, but now, circumstances were different. He smiled to himself and pulled the contraption out of his pocket. He flicked the switch and the device hummed to life and began collecting the fog in the back compartment. Aku smiled. If he ever got a chance to meet that pompous CEO of Varrick Industries, he'd have to thank him for inventing those new cleaning devices. The prototype had certainly proved useful for Aku's own needs.

"Amazing what one can do with technology these days," Aku chortled to himself, watching as wispy tendrils of fog got sucked up into his machine. Even as he collected the fog, his colleagues were working on a larger variant of the same machine that would allow him to siphon greater quantities for the gas they were working on. Aku could barely contain his excitement. It wouldn't take too long before that machine was finished and before he had all of the fog. Everything was falling into place quite nicely.

Aku smiled when the back compartment was full and turned the device off. He stared at the fog curling in the compartment and grinned. It was a bit of a walk back to the spirit portal, but as he gazed at the fog he'd managed to get hold of, he decided it would be well worth it. He couldn't wait to show this to Shen. The fool had been skeptical but now, Aku had proof. This plan was guaranteed to succeed where so many others had failed.

Aku was so lost in thought, he nearly missed the figure creeping up behind him. He would have dropped the device if the person behind him hadn't alerted Aku to his presence. He heard the sound of footsteps and labored breathing before the fog parted to reveal a disheveled man who lunged at him and if it hadn't been for Aku's quick thinking, the fog he'd collected might have been lost. He managed to pocket the device, though, just as the man lunged for him again. Aku nimbly avoided him and tripped him, grinning as the man struggled to get up.

"I wouldn't advise that," Aku said, as the man staggered about, looking for something to hurl at Aku. "Whoever you are, you're no match for me."

The man didn't listen.

"I am Zhao, the conqueror," he cried, looking around wildly. "Zhao, the Moonslayer. I will capture the Avatar!"

"Best of luck to you then," Aku said. "But there won't be an Avatar for long."

And, grinning to himself, Aku retreated the way he came.

* * *

Saikhan stared at the map and frowned. After meeting with some former colleagues of his, he'd retraced the route of the mysterious car but he hadn't had much luck. He'd followed the fork in the road and searched three warehouses over the last couple of days, but he always came up empty-handed; not a single one offered a lead. There was only one other warehouse in the area that Saikhan had yet to search. It was in an out of the way spot and hadn't been inhabited in years. The warehouse there had been abandoned just two years after it had been built. There had been structural issues and some workers had lost their lives when a portion of the building there collapsed. It had been a very long time ago, but Saikhan remembered it well. As a little boy he'd played in the area with friends because the warehouse was said to have been haunted and he and his friends had always wanted to see a spirit. He couldn't fathom why someone would be in this area of all places, but if there was a clue in this area at all, he was determined to ferret it out. He turned off his headlights and slowly started for the warehouse.

It took him about fifteen minutes since he was driving slowly, but Saikhan found the place at last. The road had been a winding one, but it went right up to an abandoned mansion situated near several small warehouses. The mansion had once been home to a wealthy businessman, but if Saikhan remembered correctly, the man had lost all his money after a bad investment. He'd been forced to move out and no one had moved in since. The place had remained empty for nearly forty years. Saikhan didn't think he'd find much of a lead in this area, but he parked his satomobile, grabbed his flashlight, and made for the staircase. Dusk had fallen and there wasn't much noise save for the sound of crickets chirping in the grass and the muffled sound of gentle waves hitting the shore. Saikhan wasn't one to be afraid of the dark, but as he walked, he felt as if someone was watching him. The thought unsettled him.

"It's nothing," he decided. "I'll just make a quick sweep of this place and be off."

Saying so, Saikhan began the arduous task of looking for clues.

* * *

Shen was dead. He was sure of it. He'd been on sentry duty ever since Aku had wandered into the spirit world to collect more fog. Normally, he didn't mind sentry duty. No one ever came by and Shen figured it was one of his easier tasks. But he was starting to regret having volunteered for it when he noticed a patrol car enter the estate. Aku had always been careful and Shen didn't think either he or any of their colleagues had left behind any incriminating evidence, but something must have happened because the police car was drawing closer and closer.

He gulped. Aku would have his head if the officer started snooping. Shen prayed to every spirit he knew that the officer would just drive away, but his luck was never that good. The officer parked the car and got out and made straight for the manor house. Shen cursed liberally.

He couldn't even radio for help. Ami and Hana were busy piecing together the machine and although Viper was on the premise he'd never make it in time. Still, they had to be alerted somehow, so Shen grabbed the nearest radio unit he could find. Viper had the other and Shen would've preferred that Hana or Ami did, but for now, Viper would have to do.

"Please go through," Shen muttered, waiting for Viper to answer the signal. Viper's reply came back soon enough.

"What's going on?" Viper demanded.

"Code red," Shen whispered, watching the officer mount the stairs that led to the front door. "Officer on the premise."

Viper let loose a slew of curses. "Where?"

"He's almost at the front door. I'm on the second floor, but if he breaks in, I won't be able to radio. I'll have to switch the unit off."

"Hide," Viper instructed. "We've stopped work down here and have locked up. Just stay put."

Shen heard the front door open and cursed some more.

"I didn't lock it. Stupid, stupid!"

"What?" Viper's voice sounded full of static. "Shen, what's…?"

"I have to go." Shen hurriedly put down the receiver and switched the unit off. He only had one option now. The officer was dangerously close and Shen was not about to let everything they had all worked for fall apart. He extracted a cannister from his pocket and sighed, upon realizing what he'd have to do. He crept downstairs silently, tailing the officer who'd wandered into the den. Ami and Hana spent the most time in the mansion, but thankfully they'd had the foresight not to leave any evidence lying about. The officer glanced about the room, searching and Shen seized the opportunity. He held the canister up, counted to three, then sprayed.


	12. Chapter 11

_**A/N: **__A lot of stuff happening in this chapter; especially with Aku. We'll be seeing a different side to him here, and although he's most definitely a jerk, he wasn't always that way. We also have Mako and Korra's first public appearance as a 'couple' in five, long years! We really wanted something sweet for them in any case. Let us know what you think! Also, if you haven't already read it, please read our prequel to this fic which is called Backup Plan!_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Raiko's manor seemed imposing the way it was lit, its marble facade glowing in the moonlight as Aku approached.

"The man has done well for himself, dumb as he is," he thought not for the first time since he'd known the President.

Deciding to simply get it over with, he trudged up the elegant staircase that led to Raiko's private study, having been politely let in by his butler. The marble steps seemed to stretch endlessly, and he couldn't help but dread the dullness of his impending meeting with Raiko. Sighing, he continued his way to his destination.

"I've been expecting you, Aku," Raiko greeted as soon as he entered the room.

"I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long, Mr. President," Aku replied, trying very hard not to sound annoyed.

"So, what news?" Raiko asked. "Can I offer you something to drink?"

"We've made good progress, Mr. President," Aku began, accepting a glass. "The machine Lau made based on Varrick's design works wonders. We were able to get a bit of the fog after all."

"And the gas?" Raiko wondered, pouring himself an expensive looking drink before taking a seat behind his desk. "What about that?"

"It's coming along nicely, Sir. We should have a more potent version ready within a fortnight if everything goes according to plan."

"Excellent," said Raiko. "And you'll keep me updated on absolutely everything?"

"Yes," Aku lied, resisting the temptation to roll his eyes.

"Thank you," Raiko said, smiling. His smile soon faded into a frown, however. "This project can't take too long, Aku. That gas has to be ready in a fortnight. As it is, people are growing suspicious of my involvement in restoration efforts. I've slowed things down long enough as is."

"I'm aware, Mr. President," Aku answered. "But everything's going according to plan, so you needn't worry."

"There's no room for error."

Aku drained his glass and set it on the table with a resounding _thunk_.

"I'm aware. We'll have this gas ready in no time."

"Good. See to it that you do."

Aku nodded and politely excused himself before leaving the mansion to keep his next appointment.

"It's all very well for him to sit behind his desk and order us about as if he's king," Aku grumbled, hurrying to an upscale restaurant about three blocks from the President's estate. "I can't wait until this is done and I don't have to 'report' to him every week."

He told the First Lady as much when he finally met her in one of the private rooms in the restaurant. A seven course meal had already been laid out and she and Lau were just beginning to eat when Aku joined them.

"Just came from seeing Raiko?" Lau wondered, handing Aku a generous serving of roasted pig- chicken and a glass of sake.

"What did he want to know?" Buttercup asked, dabbing her mouth with a napkin.

Aku rolled his eyes. "The usual. We've been given a two week deadline; he says he can't hinder restoration efforts much longer than that."

Buttercup laughed. "Can't he? I'll see to it that he does."

"Thank you, ma'am," Aku said. "You've been most gracious."

The First Lady just smiled.

"What else needs to be done?" Lau demanded. "Now that the end is in sight, I can't wait to see how this all pans out."

"Well, there's still the matter of the police and the Avatar. We can't have them on our trail, so we'll have to come up with something better than utmost secrecy if we want this gas to be mass produced and distributed." Aku replied.

"What about Jian?" Buttercup asked.

Aku shrugged. "She's not exactly cooperating, but she's not stopping us either."

"Has she revealed anything at all about the armor or the sword?"

"No, ma'am. Nothing. But we'll find it soon. We just need one piece, after all. After we get our hands on one, it should lead us to the others."

Buttercup nodded.

"We'll also need a larger version of your machine, Lau," Aku said, glancing at his friend. "The small scale version isn't going to cut it. We need something that can siphon the fog until it's all gone."

"I have an elite team working on it as we speak," Lau said. "Anything else?"

"One point, I confess, does worry me," Buttercup spoke, drumming her nails against her glass. "How can we ensure that the Avatar stays out of this? She's bound to notice any changes in the spirit world and especially the loss of the fog."

Lau looked thoughtful. He speared a piece of meat, popped it in his mouth, and chewed.

"We could always distract her or incapacitate her. I know there's plenty of men and women who resent her after she refused to restore their bending."

"No, that wouldn't work," Aku responded. "The distractions might, but not for very long. As for incapacitating her, well...that's half the reason why we made this gas in the first place. Amon, Unalaq, Zaheer...they all failed. It's up to us to succeed."

"We could take someone as leverage against her?" Lau suggested. "Or perhaps something?"

Buttercup snorted. "Like who? She's got friends in high places. You touch anyone she's connected with and that'll be the end. And besides, even if we do manage it, Aku won't have our help; he can't have it. If we're caught now, the whole thing will go up in smoke because Aku won't have enough men to stop all the Avatar's friends and you and I can't risk getting involved and implicated."

"She's right," Aku said, grimly. "The whole operation hinges on this gas and we need your funds and my team, so to speak, to make this happen."

"So, what other options do we have?" Lau wondered.

"Not many, I'd wager," Aku said, pensively.

"I think I can help," the First Lady said. "The problem with Amon and Zaheer, even Unalaq, was that they were too transparent. I think we can be a little more discreet than they were."

"You have a foolproof plan, madam?" Lau asked.

Buttercup nodded. "Yes."

"And that is...?"

Both Aku and Lau waited in anticipation. The president's wife laughed.

"I hope you gentlemen can dance because we're going to throw a ball."

Both men blinked.

"A ball?" They echoed.

Buttercup grinned in delight. "Oh, yes! The city needs funds anyway since so many unfortunate people were displaced after Kuvira's attack. So we're going to host a ball to 'raise funds.'"

"And this is going to help us?" Lau asked, staring at the First Lady as if she had sprouted a second head.

"Of course. Invites will go out, and naturally the Avatar will show up because of her position and during the ball, we can easily take care of her."

"But there are too many people," Aku said. "You know how these things are. Half the city shows up. We don't need that many eyes on us."

"They won't be on us," Buttercup promised. "At least, not on you two. If I fail to carry out our plan, then you two must have a go at it."

"And what is our plan?" Lau asked, feeling rather stupid.

The First Lady extracted a small, clear vial from her sleeve and placed it on the table.

"Shirshu poison?" Aku guessed.

Buttercup nodded. "You're well versed in your poisons. Yes, this is a lethal dose."

"Wouldn't that just cripple her though?" Lau demanded. "She's still a threat as long as she's moving."

"If this were diluted, perhaps. But this amount is more than enough to induce permanent paralysis. If we're lucky, we can freeze the Avatar cycle." Buttercup said, smiling.

"Freeze it?" Both men repeated.

"I'd assume so. She wouldn't die from it, but she wouldn't be able to lift a finger ever again. So, I'd assume until she dies naturally, the cycle won't continue."

"And how do you plan to administer this in a crowded ballroom?" Lau asked. "It'll be risky."

"Drink your sake, Mr. Lau," Buttercup commanded. Lau looked puzzled but took a sip all the same and then instantly froze. Three minutes passed before he could move again.

"You poisoned me!" Lau's voice sounded three octaves too high in his own ears.

Buttercup smiled again. "Does that answer your question?"

"I...but, how? I was with you the whole time. I saw you! How did you manage to slip it in?"

Buttercup's tinkling laugh echoed throughout the room and Aku shivered.

"That is a secret," she replied. "But, I hope I've put your mind at ease. I can administer the poison easily."

"Will I live?" Lau asked.

"Of course. I don't make it a habit of poisoning valuable business partners, Mr. Lau."

Lau breathed a sigh of relief as Buttercup laughed again. Aku felt butterflies rearing in his stomach. The First Lady's name, he realized, was a misnomer. He'd heard it said that buttercups were beautiful flowers, but he was beginning to think the President's wife was more like a flower from the white jade bush: all beauty at the surface, but nothing but thorns and poison underneath.

"Are you alright, Aku? You're as pale as a ghost." Buttercup said.

Aku stood up so fast his chair nearly toppled over. "Excuse me, madam, but it's getting late and I have some urgent matters to take care of. Excuse me."

Aku was gone before either Lau or Buttercup could say a word.

The streets were fairly empty as Aku rushed back to the base. Few people were out and Aku was grateful, because it meant less obstacles. He tore through the streets like a madman and didn't stop until he arrived at the rundown mansion by quay. He took the steps two at a time and hurried up to the attic where he'd stashed things he'd wanted to (but couldn't seem to) forget. One dusty trunk was tucked in a corner and Aku hastened towards it, unfastening the lock with tremblings fingers, and waiting with bated breath for the dust to clear as he did. When it finally cleared, he reached inside and pulled out the lone object in the trunk. Aku stared at it for a minute before doing something he hadn't done in a long, long time. For the first time since he'd left the Water Tribe, Aku cried until he had no tears to left shed.

* * *

"Stop fidgeting!"

"I can't help it! I feel like a monkey in this thing."

Asami bit back a curse as she poked herself with the pin for the seventh time.

"Why don't you ever buy yourself a dress?"

Korra looked at her like she was crazy. "I don't wear dresses. Why on earth would I buy one?"

"You'd probably feel less like a monkey if you bought your own dresses," Asami said. "There are dresses designed for comfort, you know?"

Korra blinked. "I'll keep that in mind. But thanks for the help."

"Better than spending my evening helping Meelo get dressed."

"He asked?"

"No, but Pema looked like she could use the help and as much as I wanted to help her, Meelo and Rohan are a handful. So you were my excuse."

"Gee, thanks."

Asami winked. "Anytime."

Someone knocked on the door and both Korra and Asami turned just in time to see Bolin stick his head in.

"Tenzin says we've got to leave in ten minutes if we want to make it to the gala in time. Also, you should avoid Lin at all costs."

"Why?"

"Mako said something about her being in a dress? I'm not sure."

"We'll keep that in mind." Korra said.

"If we've got ten minutes, I could probably do something with your hair," Asami mused, turning to Korra. "Maybe…"

"No!" The Avatar said, vehemently, shoving her friend out the door. "I draw the line at dresses. Thanks, Asami, but I think I can take it from here."

Asami and Bolin burst into laughter and, though they couldn't see, Korra smiled. It was nice to know some things hadn't changed.

* * *

When Mako had learned of the event from Korra, he'd been very surprised. But not as surprised as he'd been when she'd asked him to be her date. He really should've known better, knowing how forthcoming she'd been about her feelings for him when they'd first met six years ago. In any case, he was glad she'd asked, because he'd been wondering about how to approach the subject with her since she'd told him.

"_What're you talking about?" _she'd asked him when he'd joked about having to find a date. "_Didn't you know you'd be coming with me?"_

"_Was I?" _he'd asked her with a sly smile.

"_Unless you'd rather go with someone else?" _she'd asked with a hint of disappointment that made him regret his little jibe.

"_Not at all," _Mako had assured her quickly. "_I'll meet you there at seven."_

Now, as he fiddled with his blue cravat, he was reminded of the fact that this would be his first public appearance with Korra in five years. The press would obviously be there taking pictures of everyone who'd been invited. And Korra, being who she was, would obviously be spotted the minute she arrived.

"_You've done this before," _he kept telling himself, and it was true. They'd been out together to events like these all those years ago, and he really didn't care at all about what the press had to say about him, but he did care about how this would impact Korra.

The press had had a field day when she'd left for the Fire Nation alone two years ago… and for every one of the seven hundred and ten days she'd been away. The last thing Mako wanted to do was ruin her night by having the press ask pointless questions or let them jump to conclusions.

"Well," Mako thought as he surveyed himself in the mirror, "this is as good as it's going to get."

He drove to City Hall in his modest Satomobile and waited outside for his friends to arrive, having been told by his brother that he, Opal, Asami, and Korra had started from the Island with Tenzin's family and Korra's parents about a half hour ago. Knowing how long they'd take to get to the place on Oogi, Mako parked his car and got to the entrance just in time to watch them arrive.

Mako sighed and walked up to them, helping Katara who smiled at him graciously as she stepped off of the bison's tail.

"Thank you, young man," she said kindly. "But I'm far too old to be your date."

"What're you talking about? You don't look a day over eighty!" Mako joked, making her laugh.

Bolin and Opal hugged him in greeting just as Tonraq and Senna made their way towards their spot. Senna was glad to see him as usual. Her husband, on the other hand, seemed more upset than wary.

"I'll go get the bison settled in the stables," Jinora said as she guided Pepper, Juicy, and Oogi away, clearing the view so Mako could finally spot the person he wanted to see the most.

She was a vision in that red gown with beautiful designs embroidered all over in black thread. He smiled as he noticed she'd refused, true to form, to wear high heeled shoes. She'd always claimed they were murder. And when she turned to face the press, his jaw nearly dropped as he noticed her back covered only by the lace patterns of her gown.

Asami simply shook her head at Mako's stunned expression while Korra noticed him and chuckled. She walked over to him with the slightest hint of a blush when she nudged his chin to close his gaping mouth.

"Close your mouth, City Boy. You'll catch flies otherwise."

Mako stammered an apology, but Korra was secretly flattered.

"So I take it you enjoyed the view?" she asked him.

"Hard not to," Mako managed. He blushed suddenly, as if just realizing what he said. "I...I mean, you...um…."

"We're about to head in," Asami noted, watching as Tenzin's family ascended the stairs to take their place in the queue. "Try not to embarrass yourselves."

She and Opal laughed and Korra glared at them.

"If I go down, I'm taking you two with me," she teased.

"Won't take much effort," Opal admitted. "My mom sent me a beautiful dress, but I'm starting to understand why you complain so much."

"It's just a few hours," Asami promised. "Now, let's go. I want to get a seat by old Mrs. Shu. She's interested in some of my prototypes and if I can work with her…"

She trailed off, linking arms with Opal and Korra and dragging them up the steps.

"Well," Bolin said, following them up. "That's our cue."

Mako took a deep breath and then hurried up after his brother and friends.

Inside, it was bright and very noisy. It seemed as if half the city had turned up and there was still a steady stream of people trickling in. Most of those who had already gathered headed straight for the food and Mako was tempted to go get something to eat (Flameo Instant Noodles for lunch wasn't much of a hearty meal, even if it was delicious), but his friends were still milling about the entrance observing everything. The whole hall was lit up and beautifully decorated and even Mako could appreciate the beauty of it all. Several ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling and there were scented candles everywhere. Elegantly designed streamers adorned all the walls and giant posters depicting a newly rebuilt Republic City hung over the entrances. It seemed the President and his wife had put in a lot of effort to make this gala perfect. Mako hoped it paid off.

"That food sure does look good," Bolin piped up from somewhere on his left. "I could use some food."

"You're telling me," Mako replied. "I'm starving."

Korra, Opal, and Asami all exchanged looks as if to say, _men and food._

"Go get your food," Opal ordered, laughing. "I'll save us a table."

Bolin made a beeline for the queue with Mako close behind. Korra made to follow them, but was stopped quickly.

"Hey, I need help holding down the fort," Opal complained. "We'll lose a table if it's just me."

"Ask Asami to help," Korra said. "She can..."

The words died in her throat as she noticed her friend weaving through the crowd with a stack of papers already in hand.

"She doesn't waste time, does she?" Opal laughed, watching Asami follow an elderly lady, presumably Mrs. Shu, to a table, toting her blueprints. Korra laughed with her. "You go ahead. I'll ask Jinora or Kai for help. And bring me back some food!"

Korra winked and then made a dash for the Mako and Bolin, only to collide with Katara.

"Surely you can help a hungry old woman who's too short to see now, find the queue?" the old master teased.

Korra smiled. "I'd be happy to," she said, shoving aside some reporter who was trying to get their attention and eyeing the line. "This way."

They made it another twenty feet before they were thwarted yet again. At that point, Korra was ready to just airbend people away, but considering that it was the First Lady's personal attendant who stood before her, she figured it wouldn't look good.

"The First Lady would like to request an audience with you, ma'am," the attendant said, bowing so low he almost keeled over. "Might I bring her over?"

"Uh...sure?" Korra replied, blinking in confusion. She'd never once met the First Lady and she didn't really want to spend her whole evening surrounded by the President or his wife, but considering the number of eyes on her and the First Lady, Korra thought it would be wise just to go along with whatever the woman wanted. Accordingly, she found herself face to face with Buttercup Raiko just a few minutes later. The First Lady was all smiles and praise, but Korra couldn't take much of it seriously, since the woman looked like a dressed up piece of fruit in a garish bright yellow dress.

"It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Avatar Korra," she was saying. "I'm such a big fan."

Korra found that surprising since Raiko made it clear what he thought of her.

"And this charming lady is your…?"

"Grandmother," Katara supplied. Korra wondered why she lied but didn't say anything.

"Of course," Buttercup said, beaming. "I can see the family resemblance."

Korra tried not to laugh out loud, but it was difficult. There wasn't any resemblance at all, really, but the First Lady must've either been too dimwitted to notice or lying through her teeth; Korra wasn't sure which.

"You must come sit at our table and dine with us," Buttercup insisted. "I'm eager to hear about all your adventures."

Korra blanched, racking her brain for an excuse. The last thing she wanted was to sit next to this lady and the President; she couldn't be held accountable for her actions if she _was_ forced to sit next to them. Thankfully, though, Katara seemed to have an excuse ready for her.

"With all due respect, ma'am, I was hoping my granddaughter could sit at my table with my children. It isn't often I get to spend time with them and my grandkids. And I know Korra misses her parents; I think she'd like to spend time with them."

Korra nodded eagerly.

"Very well," the First Lady sighed, looking disappointed. "But at least have a drink with me."

She waved her attendant over and he hurried forward with three glasses of something expensive that really just looked like water. He handed one to the First Lady and presented the other two to Katara and Korra. The Avatar looked like she just wanted to leave, so she reached for a glass as if to get this encounter over with, but Katara was quicker. In a well-rehearsed move, she made for the other glass at the same time and collided with the attendant. The remaining two glasses, contents and all, went up in the air before crashing to the ground, drenching the First Lady in the process.

"Oh, goodness," Katara said, while the First Lady spluttered. "How terribly clumsy of me. I'm so so sorry."

"Think nothing of it," Buttercup said, smiling and trying to keep her cool. "I...if you'll just excuse me. I'll go change."

She hurried away, her yellow banana-like dress clinging to her like a second skin.

"You did that on purpose." Korra said, grinning widely.

Katara kept a straight face. "I haven't got a clue what you're talking about."

Korra laughed loudly. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but why did you throw water on the First Lady and tell her you were my grandmother?"

"There's something off about that woman," Katara admitted. "And besides, someone was trying to poison you."

Korra's smile faded after that. "Excuse me?"

The old master gestured to the shattered glass on the floor. The liquid was already collecting at their feet and Korra hadn't thought much of it until Katara bent it up, off the floor. In a practiced motion, she separated the contents. Korra had assumed it was just a drink, but she was starting to understand what Katara meant.

"What is that?" She demanded, as Katara pulled a clear, less viscous liquid from the drink.

"Looks like water, doesn't it?"

"In the glass it did," Korra admitted. "But judging by how it looks now, I'm guessing it isn't."

"Shirshu poison," the old waterbender explained. "And a pretty concentrated, lethal dose at that. We used to use it in the old days for healing; it works as a sort of anesthetic. But never such a concentrated dose."

"How on earth could you tell?" Korra demanded.

Katara just shrugged. "Practice, I guess. It's thicker than water. You learn to identify it pretty quickly once you start handling it."

"So, you saved me."

"What else is new?" Katara teased. "Now, I do recall you mentioning something about food. Lead me to it, young lady! I'm certainly not getting any younger over here. "

Korra laughed and hugged her old mentor, before shoving aside more reporters (and grinning with satisfaction as one landed face first in a punch bowl) and making her way to the food with Katara in tow.

By the time both waterbenders had returned to their table. the others were already eating seconds. Neither of them mentioned the poison just yet, but Korra kept a careful eye on her food and her friends' in case they had been tampered with. Luckily, however, nothing happened and they were able to enjoy themselves for a couple of hours. Mako kept glancing at Korra but she didn't say anything or offer any explanations as to why she glared at his fruit or scrutinized Opal's dessert or stared at Asami's drink. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but he wasn't exactly sure how to broach the subject. And, unfortunately for him, he never got the chance to. Just as the dancing started (and just as Bolin hauled Opal to the dance floor and just as Mako himself was about to ask Korra), a weary looking Lin plopped down in Bolin's seat and nodded at him. Mako knew whatever was coming couldn't be good.

"You look tired, Lin," Katara noted. "Long day at work?"

"You wouldn't believe the half of it," Lin replied. "I could use a drink, or two dozen."

"I can believe that. I could use some dessert myself."

Despite how tired she looked, Lin offered to help Katara and both Korra and Mako watched In confusion as the Chief of Police hurried off to get get dessert and a drink for herself, even though Katara was fully capable of getting it herself.

"Well?" Katara demanded, eyeing the pair.

"Well what?" Korra asked, feeling rather stupid.

"Honestly, you two are something! And Sokka thought Aang and I were bad."

"Uh…" Mako said, very intelligently.

"Go dance," Katara said to Mako, laughing. "Hurry, before Lin comes back and starts working herself and you to the bone."

Mako glanced at Korra and opened his mouth to speak, but Korra beat him to it.

"Dance with me, City Boy," She ordered, hauling him to his feet and dragging him to the dance floor. Mako feigned indignation as he followed her, reveling in the feeling of holding her hand.

"Can't you ever just let me ask you first?" He demanded.

"Nope," Korra replied, stepping on his feet. Mako didn't even care that it hurt a bit. "I hope you know how to dance because I've got two left feet. Lead on, cool guy."

Mako laughed and complied. The band was playing a slow jazzy tune as they moved in sync. Bolin flashed them a wide smile when he noticed them, and Opal flashed them the thumbs up sign. The pair shook their heads,silently acknowledging that yes, it was no longer a secret, and that yes, they'd finally made a decision after waiting nearly two years.

"I actually feel relieved," Korra admitted to him.

"Me, too," Mako sighed and they continued dancing.

Once or twice, they could hear the snap of a camera's flash as it went off, and Mako worried about how this would make her look, and Korra noticed.

"Don't worry about them," she whispered so only he could hear. "It's just you and me right now. No one else."

Mako simply nodded and let the room fade around them as they danced together, forgetting about everyone else but Korra and the feel of her in his arms as they circled the floor, as if knowing each move beforehand. It occurred to him that this familiarity is what she'd felt when she'd told him they were meant for each other.

Suddenly, he had to ask. "Do you still mean it, Korra?"

"What?" she asked him.

"Do you still think we're meant for each other?"

Korra simply smiled. "Now more than ever."

Mako kissed her then, not caring about the thousands of people watching, or even that her parents were watching… All he knew that he felt happier than he'd been in a long time.

The illusion of them being alone in the room was shattered the instant they heard people clapping, making them realize that they'd moved the crowd around them to make a space for themselves. Katara had a knowing smile while Senna simply couldn't look happier. Mako looked at Tonraq, who seemed to be smiling in resignation, knowing what his daughter would say if he ever tried to broach the subject with her.

"He'll come around," Korra told him. "He actually likes you. He just doesn't want you to forget who's boss."

"I thought _you _were," he joked.

"Exactly!" Korra said with a wink, making him laugh.

His feet only grew more tired as the night wore on, but the music was lively, Korra was in his arms, and he was having fun. The rest, he realized, didn't matter.

* * *

Buttercup Raiko hurried up the stairs to one of the rooms on the third floor. She thanked the spirits she'd had the foresight to bring a change of clothes. She'd spent more time than she cared to admit in her wet dress and it was high time she got out of it. So she took the stairs two at a time, until she arrived at her makeshift "dressing room" on the third floor. It was someone's office, but her attendants had laid her spare dresses out there and propped up a small mirror with her makeup utensils splayed out in front. The First Lady hurriedly slipped out of one dress and into the other and then touched up her makeup. She had just finished when someone knocked on the door and she rushed to open it, peeking out to make sure that no one could spot Aku and Lau as they entered the room.

"What happened?" Lau asked, looking nervous. "I take it the plan failed?"

Buttercup reached for a vial from the pocket of her ruined dress and held it up for them to see.

"Ruined," she said, bitterly. "That old woman somehow managed it; she spilled the whole thing. That was the last I had."

"Aku and I still have our doses." Lau said. "We could…"

"It's no use. The Avatar will know by now. Not enough to pin anything on me, but she'll be on her guard. Stupid, old woman."

Aku looked equal parts amazed and shocked. "You don't know who she is?"

"Why should I care about the Avatar's grandmother?" Buttercup demanded.

"Grandmother? That's Master Katara. She's a waterbender, one of the best. You shouldn't have done anything in her presence."

"Oh, dear." Lau muttered, unhelpfully.

Buttercup glared at Aku. "I'll do what I please, when I please. Anyway, it would have worked if that idiot hadn't tripped."

"You can't seriously believe it was an accident," Aku retorted. "Katara knows, probably." He cursed liberally. "We should have waited until she was alone."

"She's never alone," Buttercup snapped. "I saw a chance and I took it. It didn't work, so we'll have to try something else."

"We'll think of something," Lau said, resolutely. "For now, the gala is still going on, so let's enjoy our evening before we head back to the drawing board."

He grinned and hurried back down to the party. Buttercup made to follow him, but Aku stopped her. He closed the door and stood in front of it, staring at her with a less than pleased expression. That might have been enough to frighten some women, but Buttercup Raiko wasn't the least bit frightened.

"Something wrong?" She wondered, arching an eyebrow.

"You knew," Aku accused, sounding bitter. "You knew the whole time and yet you kept silent."

"Honestly, Aku, can't you ever talk properly? I know a lot of things. What, exactly, are you referring to?"

"You know what I'm talking about," he said, walking forward so he was but two steps away from her. "You knew and yet you never said a word. All this time…"

Buttercup just blinked. "And did you want me to say anything?"

"It would have been nice," Aku said, through gritted teeth. "Do you know how much I worried? Do you know what I went through?"

"No," Buttercup said, honestly. "I did my best to forget. You should too."

She stepped around him and headed for the door, but Aku stopped her once again.

"I can't let you leave," He said, standing in front of her.

Buttercup's hand tightened on the vial in her pocket. Aku's eyes gleamed with something, but she couldn't make out what. She didn't know what he thought of her, but even now, she wasn't defenseless.

"And why not?" Buttercup demanded.

Aku gave her a sad smile and, just as the orchestra below struck up a love song, he kissed her.


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_**A/N: **__We struggled a bit with this chapter mainly because this is the chapter before poop starts happening. And believe us, poop happens. There are some... details in this chapter that we as animal lovers are not... too comfortable with, but suffice it to say that no real animals were harmed during the writing process. :P_

* * *

If there was ever a moment that Aku wished he could re-do, this was it. Buttercup was staring at him, her eyes wide in shock. Aku wished he had a speech prepared. He wished he could tell her everything he felt and why he'd kissed her, but all he could manage was a pathetic smile. Buttercup blinked and then turned red.

"You...you hog monkey!: She screeched, grabbing a glass and dumping the contents on him. "You absolute pig!"

Aku spluttered and coughed. "Wait," He pleaded. "I can explain."

"Explain?" Buttercup looked livid. "No, I don't want to hear anything from you."

"Min…"

She'd expected her old name to shock her. Soften her, even, especially coming from him. Revulsion had not been on that list.

"Don't call me that," she snapped. "Get out of my sight, you filthy animal. I can't believe you would…"

Aku grabbed her hand and pulled her close. "It's been nearly a decade. I never stopped looking for you, you know?"

"Maybe I didn't want to be found," Buttercup responded, coldly. "Did that ever occur to you?"

"But you agreed to this deal," Aku pointed out. "You knew who I was and you agreed to work with me."

"So?"

"You must have had some reason?" Aku replied. "Surely that means you…"

"I don't know what you think you understand, Aku, but I did not agree to this deal because I have left over feelings or some such nonsense. I looked at potential candidates and selected them based on whether or not I believed they could get the job done. It just so happened that you were one of them."

"So, in all these years, you never once looked for me?" Aku clarified.

"No," the First Lady said, curtly. "I did not. I had no desire to."

"How can you say that?" Aku demanded, looking annoyed. "We were married at one time. We had a family."

"Family?" Buttercup yelled back, laughing. "What family, you moron? Our daughter wasn't the son you wanted and when she didn't follow in our footsteps you were ready to kill her. Is that family?"

"You didn't exactly stop me," Aku retorted.

"Why do you think I left you, you idiot?" Buttercup said, glaring at him. "I've never been so ashamed of anything in my whole life."

Aku took a deep breath as if to say something, but Buttercup was quicker.

"I don't know what you think you've gained from this," the First Lady said. "You might think you've gained leverage or something, but I guarantee you if you try to tell anyone about this, they'll never believe you."

"I wasn't going to," Aku said, sadly. "I just wanted to know if perhaps...well, never mind. You've made your opinion clear."

Buttercup's gaze softened just a bit.

"Aku, we might have had something once, but whatever it was, it's gone now."

"You don't know that. You can't seriously believe that you actually love Raiko. He's a fool."

"Maybe," Buttercup said. "But you and I... we were doomed right from the start, you know?"

"I refuse to believe that," Aku responded. "We're not so old. We could still try and…"

"_I _can't," the president's wife insisted. "Aku, I left you because I couldn't bear the guilt. We had a daughter who you tried to kill. And I almost let you. Worse, I almost killed her child. I haven't forgiven myself for that."

"You knew she would turn against us. We had to. We had no other choice."

"I am a lot of things, but not a murderer. I almost let you kill her and I've had nightmares since then. That's why I left. She was eighteen, Aku. We cast her out like nothing."

"What alternative was there? You remember how she used to talk about joining _them_. She knew far too much."

"So? What right did we have to kill her, our own flesh and blood? We could have found some way..."

"No, she was too willful, too determined. Nothing else would have worked."

"That's why I left," Buttercup said. "You were willing to just get rid of our own daughter and I couldn't let that happen."

"You did," Aku retorted. "You were the one who cast her out."

"That's the other reason I left. She was eighteen and I just kicked her out because someone had taken advantage of her. After she ran away, the guilt was too much. I couldn't spend the rest of my life with you and not be reminded of our behavior. So I left. I came here and changed my appearance and did my best to forget. You should too."

"I can't," Aku insisted. "Those years we spent together were some of the best in my life."

"But not mine, Aku. Why can't you understand that? Do you know how I met Raiko? I was ready to take my own life because I felt so guilty and so ashamed. He talked me out of it. Everything just fell into place after that. Maybe I didn't love him as passionately as I loved you at first. But, things are different now. I'm not willing or able to go back to that old life we had."

"You're not even willing to give us a chance again?"

"I can't," the First Lady cried, looking utterly miserable. "Aku, we were never a normal family and I could have lived with that. But seeing you so hellbent on killing our own daughter and then driving her away myself...it's too much. I can't be with you. If I was, it wouldn't be like it used to be."

"Good to know," Aku said, gruffly. Buttercup thought she saw tears pooling in his eyes but didn't say anything. "I'm glad you valued our relationship so much you discarded it for a pretty rich boy whose greatest accomplishment is looking stupid."

"I valued it a lot more than you know. But that was before everything fell apart."

"Don't you think that even if there's the slightest chance what we had could be salvaged, it's a chance worth taking?"

"No," Buttercup replied. "I don't. It's too late for that."

She pushed past Aku and made for the door, but stopped at the threshold.

"Sometimes," Buttercup said, gazing at Aku as if she was looking through him and not at him. "I think I see her. When I'm out walking or driving around, I think I see her face staring at me from the shadows. It's too painful of a reminder, so I've done my absolute best to forget. I've built a new life, a better one, and for the first time in a long time, I'm content. Take care you do the same, Aku, before it's too late."

Aku just watched the First Lady leave before reaching for a bottle of sake and resolving to drown himself in drink.

* * *

Shen was panicking.

It wasn't unusual for the man to lose his wits, exactly, but he knew that he'd messed up this time. Badly.

He'd lost his composure when Saikhan had walked into their turf, and he'd done the first thing he could think of. He'd gassed the Deputy Chief of Police, and he knew he'd have to pay for it dearly once Aku found out. He still shivered as he thought about what Aku had told him then.

"_How could you have been so stupid?" Aku yelled. "Do you realize that now the Police Department will conduct a full investigation?"_

"_But… but he was getting awfully close to finding out what we've been doing, Boss! I couldn't-"_

"_You've jeopardized the whole operation! Now we need to move everything so that they don't get suspicious! "_

"_I'm sorry, Boss," Shen stammered. "I really am. I panicked."_

_He backed into the wall as soon as Aku stood up and walked towards him, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off his feet. Aku was choking the life out of him without even batting an eyelash._

"_Clearly," Aku scoffed. "You'd better fix this. If you don't, I'll make sure you never see daylight again. Do you understand?"_

_Shen gulped. "Of course, Boss."_

"_Good. Now get out of my sight before I change my mind about sparing your life."_

That had been a week ago. A full week of panicking and trying to figure out how they'd let Saikhan go without arousing any more suspicions. Especially after having such a close call with Mizu. The Police hadn't found any leads on her, and any of their remaining resources had been diverted to finding Saikhan. However, that hadn't stopped him from worrying that someone would break open that nasty can of worms.

All in all, it had been a long week and Shen had done far more thinking than he was accustomed to, but he had finally concocted the perfect plan. In the dead of night, he hauled a drugged Saikhan as best as he could towards police headquarters. He'd spent the past two days scoping out the grounds and noting the shifts and the patrols and he'd been elated to find a hiding spot for the Deputy Chief of Police on the grounds. It was a decent sized toolshed where a few crates of cables and vast amounts of old papers were stored in shelves and Shen had little trouble getting Saikhan in there. Getting out proved to be more difficult, what with officers patrolling the street looking for Saikhan, but he managed that too. Shen walked away feeling pretty good about his plan...until he got back to the hideout.

* * *

Aku watched as Min left and joined the crowd, playing the part of First Lady beautifully. She'd always been a gifted actress. Deception had come so easily to her. So it didn't surprise him that Raiko, a complete idiot, had succumbed to her charms and married her.

He watched her with her new husband until he couldn't control the urge to pummel Raiko into the ground, so he balled his fists and looked for a distraction. He noticed the CEO of Future Industries discussing plans with a rich, old lady. He'd have enlisted her help, but she was too close to the Avatar.

Speaking of whom, he watched as she danced with a handsome, young man with sharp features. The smiles on their faces indicated they were quite happy, and he wondered how far the Avatar would be willing to go to save this young man from his wrath. Just as his mind had started formulating a plan, he noticed the Chief of Police walk up to the pair and reveal some information that shocked them.

The pair exchanged a knowing glance and raced behind the Chief towards her van, which, if Aku's hunch was right, was headed towards the Police Station. He wasted no time in driving his fancy car out towards the hideout, knowing full well that they didn't have much time to lose.

Saikhan's disappearance had just been noticed and Aku had a plan to set into motion.

* * *

"Ever heard of a door?" Lin asked, not looking up from her work. Her desk was littered with photographs and maps and notes and she didn't even bat an eyelash as Tonraq jumped in from an open window and landed silently beside her.

"I figured you had the window open for a reason," the waterbender said. "Besides, I'm supposed to hide in the shadows and all that."

"Yes, because you're doing that so well," Lin muttered, glaring at a photo and then discarding it to the side.

"What's all this?" Tonraq wondered, gazing at the papers that lay sprawled all across Lin's desk. "Another lead?"

"I wish," Lin said. "This is another complication. Last night, Saikhan's wife called and said he hadn't ever returned home from work. The woman was practically in hysterics and we told her to calm down and wait because he probably found a lead. But his patrol car was tracked to the backwaters of the bay and I had a couple of teams sweep the area and we came up empty handed. Saikhan went down there and then just vanished. We haven't found any leads related to his whereabouts."

"That makes two people who just vanished," Tonraq noted. "We've found virtually nothing about the whereabouts of that nurse, Mizu. I don't suppose you have?"

"No," Lin said. "I've pulled people off that case and used every officer I could spare into finding Saikhan. Mako and Korra are out in the city looking for him too."

"I figured as much. I don't suppose the kid found any leads?"

"No," Lin said, sinking into her chair and sighing. "This case is all over the place and all we're finding is more questions and less answers. I don't suppose you've had any luck? Have your people turned up with anything?"

"Nothing related to this case," Tonraq responded, glumly. "I've been following leads on that Mizu woman, but they're all looking like red herrings. I haven't been able to find her or help with our main mission."

Lin frowned. "What are you guys up to?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about," Tonraq promised. "The Council just wants to settle an old score with some people and we're working towards that. I promise your city is safe and we're not gutting random people."

Lin gave the smallest of smiles. "See that it stays that way. I have a missing officer to find; was there anything else you needed?"

Tonraq produced a newspaper article from his pocket and handed it to her. Lin stared at the headlines and blinked.

"Just a heads up," Tonraq said. "He's going to turn up dead soon. Thought you might like to know."

"You found the guy?" Lin demanded. "Where was he? We've been looking for him."

"There's a small cove out by the suburbs where he gets his shipments. He transports them from there to a hideout up in the mountains. If you've been sweeping the city, it would have been difficult to find him. But this "Black Man" or whatever he calls himself will be dead soon enough. That's one less smuggler you'll have to worry about."

"And the animals he's smuggling?"

"We'll take care of that," Tonraq promised. "Just thought I'd let you know. Have a nice day."

The waterbender pulled up his hood and then proceeded to jump out the window, leaving the way he came.

* * *

There were few things that made Rumi uncomfortable and crouching behind a large boulder was not one of them. It wasn't even the dampness or the smell of animals that made her uncomfortable. What really made her uncomfortable and angry was the way said animals were being treated. For a smuggler who sold exotic animals, this Black Man character wasn't really taking care of the animals well. Rumi wasn't an expert on black market dealings and smuggling, but if one was going to sell animals, it made more sense for the animals to be in peak condition and look good rather than look half-starved and sick. The animals here, however, were nothing of the sort. They were all chained up and placed in cages that looked far too small. Their food was minimum and they looked as if they had been sedated most of the time. Moreover, what really made Rumi's blood boil, was the work bench in the hideout which was stained with blood. Several freshly cut fur pelts hung on a line, swaying gently in the breeze while animal carcasses rotted in a heap in one corner of the hideout.

"Four rabaroo pelts," one man was saying. "We're expecting a shipment of baby catowls and hogmonkeys tomorrow too. All in all, good haul."

"Excellent," Rumi's target said, happily. "We should make quite a profit. The pelts alone should give us a few thousand yuans."

"Yeah, but we're still missing the moose-lion cub. I left a piece of meat out to tempt it, but it hasn't turned up. Nothing's wandered into the trap I set."

"Go out and scout some more," The Black Man ordered. "That thing is selling for nearly half a million yuans. I will not lose it now."

The lackey nodded and scurried out to scout some more, leaving Rumi all alone with her target. The Black Man was a short, stocky man and he wasn't facing her so, Rumi had the advantage. He didn't look particularly strong, but he probably had at least a knife on him and Rumi didn't want to be on the receiving end no matter how skilled she was. So she watched and waited. When the Black Man didn't turn around, Rumi sprang into action. She was so silent, the smuggler hadn't a hope of knowing what was going on until he fell to the floor, his own blood pooling around him. Rumi's blade retracted with a click and she stepped over the smuggler's body ignoring his gurgling and heading out of the hideout. The lackey was nowhere to be found, but the trap he'd placed for the cub looked to have been readjusted, so Rumi figured he wasn't too far away. There was a piece of meat to tempt the animal, but one look at it and Rumi knew it was rotten. No wonder the animal hadn't turned up.

"Disgusting," She muttered, kicking aside the trap and continuing on. There was no indication the animal was nearby, but Rumi climbed up a tree to get a better look at the lay of the land. She was rewarded for her efforts too, for she had little difficulty in finding the moose-lion cub. It was some distance away, feasting on something and Rumi set off, intent on rounding it up and wrapping up this mission. But what she found when she actually reached the cub was another story. The moose-lion cub had done what the police and the brotherhood had not been able to do. Mizu, the psychotic nurse who'd tried to poison the Avatar, had finally been found and her dead body was the main course for moose-lion's lunch.


	14. Chapter 13

_**A/N: **HUGE developments in this chapter! Saikhan finds his way back to the real world, and Korra's visions resurface! We find out more about the spirits whose names keep popping up. We'll get a deeper look into the legend Aku had only heard of briefly, and something strange gets spotted in the fog, which, without revealing much, will be very important in the chapters to come. Thanks again for sticking with us. We hope you've enjoyed this as much as we have!_

* * *

Mako groaned as his back hit the mat, but he didn't have too much time to focus on the ache. He rolled to one side, dodging a blast of fire and sprang to his feet in an attempt to evade the next wave of attacks. He was starting to regret using his lunch break to spar with Korra instead of eating, but he'd been so full of nervous energy since Saikhan had gone missing, it felt good to spar and release all of that...even if Korra was currently kicking his butt.

"Your form is awful," Korra teased, as Mako dodged a jet of water and narrowly avoided tripping over his own feet. "What did they do to you at the police station?"

"Hey!" Mako said, indignantly. "My form is perfectly fine. I'm just tired."

"I can see," Korra deadpanned, gesturing to a smoldering mat which was charred from Mako's firebending. "Maybe you should just quit while you're ahead."

"You wish," Mako replied, tucking into a roll and (miraculously) emerging unscathed as Korra's fire shot over him. "I'm winning this round."

"You mean the way you won the last ten rounds?"

"Yes, exactly that way," Mako replied grinning, bending a jet of fire straight at Korra. She easily vaulted over it.

"Bring it on," The Avatar challenged.

Mako complied. His next attack was pretty impressive if he had to say so himself and he was feeling pretty proud for executing a particularly difficult move...until he saw the outcome. Korra lay motionless on the ground a few feet away and Mako suddenly panicked.

"Korra?" He tried, kneeling next to her and shaking her, as if to wake her up. She didn't respond and it didn't do anything to help Mako's fraying nerves. He tried again. "Korra?"

No response. Mako did his best to steady his breathing, but he was really worried now. He glanced around looking for anything that might be of use, but it wasn't proving very helpful. Thankfully, he didn't have long to look because within seconds, he was pinned to the ground and Korra was laughing at him.

"I can't believe you fell for that," She laughed. "That's the oldest trick in the book."

Mako gaped at her for a second before pouting. "That was low. I was seriously worried."

"I'd apologize," Korra said, eyes twinkling. "But I'm not sorry. I win."

"Yeah right," Mako said, flipping them over so he was looming over her. "_I _win."

"In your dreams, buddy. But since I'm so generous, I suppose I can let you have this win."

Mako stood up and offered Korra a hand.

"Would you let me have something else too?" He wondered, grinning down at her.

"Depends." She responded, accepting his hand.

"On what?" Mako wondered, his face inches from hers.

Korra rolled her eyes and was about to respond, when someone cleared their throat.

Mako let go of Korra and nearly jumped back a foot, causing the Avatar to fall backwards.

"Hi, Chief Tonraq." Mako said, flushing. He hoped the waterbender hadn't caught too much of his conversation with Korra.

Tonraq eyed the pair suspiciously. "Was I interrupting something?"

"No," Mako said.

"Yes," Korra grumbled, simultaneously.

Mako groaned. "Kill me now," He muttered as Korra smiled at him. "Your dad is going to have my head."

"It'll be fine," Korra promised. "I'll protect you."

Mako glared at her as she laughed again.

"Was there something you needed, Dad?" The Avatar wondered. "How did you find us?"

"Lin told me you might be here. I thought you'd like to know: we found that psychotic nurse."

"Where?"

"Out by the bay."

"Did she reveal anything?" Mako wondered, hoping against hope they'd have something to go off of.

Tonraq frowned. "Not a thing."

"There's got to be ways to get her to talk," Korra said. "Maybe we can…"

"It's too late for that now," Tonraq said. "Mizu is dead."

"Dead?" The pair echoed.

Tonraq nodded. "Her body was found recently. We came across it following a lead for another case and wound up finding her corpse instead. The police are doing some work, but really, the force is too busy looking for Saikhan and he needs to be found first, in any case. So your mother and I decided to help Lin out. We'll follow any leads we get on this nurse. I'll keep you two updated, but there isn't too much to go off of now. Just thought I'd let you know."

Mako nodded. "We should probably get back to looking for Saikhan too. My break's almost over anyway."

"You think Saikhan's disappearance and that crazy nurse's attack is linked?" Korra asked, looking at Tonraq.

"Haven't got a clue," Tonraq admitted. "But whatever's going on, we'll get to the bottom of it."

Korra nodded and Tonraq turned to leave, but she surprised him with a hug.

"Be careful," she warned. "That lady, Mizu, might have accomplices looking for you."

"I will be," Her dad promised. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

"I'm still mad," Korra replied. "But yeah, you're mostly forgiven."

Tonraq smiled and returned the hug. "You be careful too. And detective, please make sure my daughter stays out of trouble."

"Yes, sir." Mako said, over Korra's indignant exclamations.

Tonraq turned to go, but suddenly wheeled around. "And no funny business, you two. I've got my eye on you."

"Tonraq!" Someone called. "Leave them be."

"I wasn't even doing anything," Tonraq protested, as Senna emerged from the shadows.

"Don't mind your father," Senna said to Korra. "He means to say be safe and have fun."

"No, I don't. I was trying to be intimidating."

Korra snickered as Senna launched into a tirade about how her husband was as intimidating as a stuffed platypus bear.

"I don't know," Mako whispered to Korra. "He can be pretty intimidating."

"I'll handle him," Senna promised. "You kids have fun."

"What your mother means," Tonraq began, but Senna started dragging him towards the exit. Mako watched in amazement as Senna dragged her husband out, winking at Korra and mouthing something that looked suspiciously like "go get him, sweetie." Korra descended into peals of laughter as her father's protests echoed through the hall.

"I didn't know your mom had it in her," Mako admitted. "Your dad _is_ intimidating to us normal people.

Korra snorted. "As if. He's as scary as a baby sky bison. If anything, he's…"

"Hold on just a second," Tonraq said, suddenly popping back in and effectively scaring both Mako and Korra. "Young lady, if you…"

"Tonraq!"

Senna didn't sound particularly happy.

"What? I was just…oh, shoot." Tonraq sighed and passed a hand over his face. "Just...stay out of trouble, okay? And wipe that smirk off your face, detective, or I'll do it for you."

Mako stifled his laugh as Tonraq disappeared the way he came.

"Sorry about that," Korra apologized once her parents had disappeared. "My dad means well, but..."

Mako just smiled. "It's fine. I understand."

Korra returned the gesture, but not before reaching up to kiss him.

"Since making the first move seems to be my thing and since you take too long." She replied, in response to his dazed, yet questioning look.

Mako just laughed and followed her out.

* * *

The low hum of the machines was the only sound Viper could hear as he watched the strange fog being sucked into the contraption. He wondered why their employer wanted _all _of the fog, but he'd been told by Zolt not to ask too many questions.

As if being in the spirit world wasn't creepy enough, a weird spider spirit was staring daggers at them for even going near the fog. Whoever she was, she had reluctantly agreed to let them all stay there and finish their job.

"_As long as I don't get eaten by it, I ain't gonna ask," _he thought to himself and went back to work until something caught his eye.

It was a helmet made of a black metal he didn't recognize and lined with solid gold. It must've been thousands of years old, but he couldn't seem to find a single scratch on it. It even glowed mysteriously, as if it wasn't from their world. Then with an exasperated sigh, he realized where he was and just went back to pondering about whether this could be valuable. He couldn't understand how it ended up in the fog, but he did know that this was probably why Aku had been very specific about getting _all _the fog out of the pit.

"Hey, Boss!" he called out and watched as Zolt walked over to him.

"What's going on?" Zolt asked.

"I found something," Viper whispered. "Look!"

Zolt's eyes widened as he noticed the glowing helmet. "How many of these have you found?"

"Just the one. Do you know what it is?" Viper asked.

"No, but I do know it's probably worth a lot," Zolt remarked. "That type of material sells for a lot on the black market."

"Are we keeping it?" Viper asked with a snicker.

Zolt looked around and winced. "We can't. We need some sort of metalbender or a crane to get it out of that pit. Either way, Shen or his boss will find out."

"Then-"

"Get Shin and Ping to our hideout later this evening. We'll discuss," Zolt muttered. "For now, let them know they need to pick this up."

Viper simply sighed in resignation and called for one of Shen's men, letting them know that they had something in the pit that needed to be picked up.

He wasn't sure exactly what Zolt had in mind, but judging by the gleam in Zolt's eyes, it promised to be interesting.

* * *

Jian didn't like humans very much. She'd known that for as long as she could remember. They'd always been petty, dishonest, and even selfish. She'd known some selfless souls, but they were always few and far between. And the bunch of humans that were in her lair right now didn't seem like the selfless type.

She watched every single day as they came with their funny little contraptions and took more of the fog. And for reasons unknown, it bothered her that they were taking it away from her. Away from a place where she could keep watch. For a while it had stopped, and she'd naively hoped that they'd had enough and wouldn't come back. But come back they did, and they were taking more of the fog away from her.

Then she saw something that sent her back to a time she couldn't quite remember, even though it felt like she'd been there. It was a helmet made of a rare, black metal lined with solid gold. The sight of it jarred her senses until hazy memories flooded her mind. She saw a warrior spirit crumpled on the ground, screaming in agony as Vaatu laughed maniacally somewhere above. Darkness seemed to pool around him and when he moved about, it was almost as if he was leeching the very life out of the warrior spirit and turning the its essence dark. Jian watched impassively for a moment. Such things did not concern a spirit like her, but something about this hazy, indistinct memory was vaguely familiar. It captivated her in a way she couldn't explain. She couldn't understand it, but for the first time in millennia, she felt something akin to sorrow and she couldn't explain why she cared at all. Maybe it was because Vaatu had come as close to killing a spirit as one could get or perhaps it was because the warrior spirit looked so pathetic pleading before a spirit such as Vaatu. Jian couldn't say. Instead, she just watched as Vaatu's eerie laughter disrupted the stillness and as his wispy tendrils bled the life out of the warrior. Jian blinked and waited for the killing blow.

But, it never came.

Instead, there was a bright flash of light and where Vaatu once stood, there was nothing. Jian blinked in the brightness, but her eyes couldn't seem to focus. Somewhere above her, a gentle voice echoed, announcing Vaatu's defeat.

_It is over,_ the voice said. Jian belatedly noted it was a woman's voice.

_Too late, _another woman's voice replied. It was sounded as if she was straining to speak and much fainter than the first voice. _Fading._

_Do not fear,_ the first woman said, gently. _I can help._

Jian hissed as something like heat washed over her. The bright light seemed to fade suddenly and she was standing face to face with the warrior spirit, but it was as if Jian was invisible. The warrior seemed to stare right through her, as if Jian wasn't there.

_This is the only way? _The warrior demanded. _There is no other choice?_

_Vaatu is powerful. This _is _the only way._

The warrior look unhappy, but nodded in consent. _Let it be done, then._

Jian watched, but there was little to see. The warrior dissolved into nothingness and her surroundings bled away until there was nothing else to see but one small pool of crystal clear water. Jian scuttled over to it and peered down.

The last thing she saw was her reflection staring back up at her and then, nothing.

* * *

The thing about dreams, Korra decided, was that it was becoming increasingly difficult to separate visions from reality. By all accounts, she should have been asleep and Korra figured she was...except she wasn't. Or maybe she was half-asleep. She couldn't say for sure. Standing knee-deep in murky water in some nameless lagoon, Korra hadn't a clue what was going on. The last thing she remembered was eating dinner and then, nothing. She'd seen plenty of strange things, but this seemed to top the list.

"Hello?" She tried, wading through the shallow water towards dry land. There was no response. Around her, the leaves of trees rustled and undulated, but Korra felt no wind. She frowned. This place looked like the spirit world, but something about it felt wrong. It took Korra a minute to figure out what it was, but it was glaringly obvious once she got a good look at her surroundings. The whole place was filled by a hazy, blue-green sort of fog that seemed to pulse and almost glow. It moved unlike any fog Korra had known before and the Avatar got the feeling she was being watched, which was slightly disconcerting given that visibility was pretty low. She had no way of knowing who or what was around her.

Fortunately, though, it didn't matter too much. A minute later, something large stirred and the fog dispelled for a couple of minutes, long enough for Korra to get a good look at her surroundings. Just at the edge of the lagoon she'd been standing in, was a tree. It's roots extended deep into the ground and it's branches curved and twisted upwards to dizzying heights. And even though the location was all wrong, Korra recognized it.

"Vaatu's prison," she muttered, wading closer to get a better look. Somewhere above her, the fog stirred and a massive figure broke through the dense fog. Vaatu's giant form hovered high above, filling the vast expanse of space between ground and sky, as if Korra's words had summoned him.

_Look_, Vaatu commanded, his eerie laugh echoing loudly across the spirit world. _See what has become of your precious fog._

The fog pooled around Vaatu and Korra gaped.

"That's not possible," she muttered. "Raava and I took care of him. How…?"

Somewhere behind her, the fog parted to reveal a massive spirit, as tall as Vaatu himself. She wore armor dark as night itself and Korra swore when she peered at it, she saw stars twinkling in the inky blackness. Her giant helmet obscured most of her face, but even from where Korra was standing, dozens of feet below her, she could make out the warrior's amber eyes. They were narrowed and glowing as if they were made of fire themselves and she levelled a glare at Vaatu.

_Release him_, the warrior ordered.

Vaatu's booming laugh seemed to shake the ground Korra stood on.

_This is not a fight you can win, _Vaatu said. _The fog is mine and I shall use it for its intended purpose._

The warrior spirit hefted her sword and swung it at Vaatu, but he met her strike. The metal of the warrior's sword hissed where Vaatu's tendrils held it.

_Fool_, Vaatu chortled. _You have no chance. Yield._

_Never_.

_Then die in defiance. _Vaatu thundered. His tendrils coiled around the warrior and where they touched, they left an eerie purple residue, almost like the spirit energy Korra had been consumed in herself. The warrior did her best to resist and for a while it seemed as if she and Vaatu were locked in a stalemate. But then the strange fog suddenly shifted so it pooled around the warrior spirit, coiling in wispy tendrils up and around her until it seemed like she was choking and gasping for breath.

Vaatu's laughter rumbled across the plains. _You once boasted how true your love was but look at it now. You will die by the hands of the one you love._

The warrior spirit gasped again, but whether in shock or pain (or both) Korra couldn't say.

_He won't hurt me. _The spirit said, struggling to stand. _Umikei loves me._

_And see where his love has led, _Vaatu replied. _Once you're out of the way, I shall unleash his fury upon the worlds._

_Why?_

_Why not? With you out of the way, there is nothing to stop me from doing as I please with Umikei._

The giant warrior spirit crumpled soundlessly to the ground, but her cries of agony seemed to echo for miles.

_You won't win, _ the warrior said, though her voice was faint and far away. _Whatever happens here, even if I fade, you'll never win._

_And who will stop me, fool? Which spirit dares to-_

_I dare._

Above them, the sky exploded with bright light and another spirit emerged from the fog.

"Raava!"

If the light spirit heard Korra, she made no indication. She hovered above the warrior's fallen form and met Vaatu's oncoming strikes.

_Even you are too late, Raava. Umikei is mine and Jian is all but gone._

_JIAN._

The fog around the warrior spirit suddenly stopped, as if suspended in mid-air. Korra counted three seconds before it fell away entirely, leaving the warrior spirit weakened and as close to death as a spirit could be.

_I remember. _

The words were like a massive sigh, wistful and sad. Somewhere from deep within the fog, a lonely face peered out at what was left of the warrior spirit.

_What are you doing? _Vaatu demanded. _You obey me._

The fog bent to Vaatu's will, but the spirit's gaze never left Jian's.

_No! _Vaatu's voice shook the very ground Korra stood on. _Fools. I will destroy you._

Vaatu directed a beam of energy straight at Jian but Raava countered his attack. For a while, the two exchanged blows, back and forth. All the while, Vaatu tried to restrain the fog spirit, Umikei. But it was futile. Though weak, Umikei managed to resist until Vaatu finally gave up.

_You have won nothing but a slow and painful death, _Vaatu said to Jian and Umikei, gliding away. _As for you, Raava, our battle is not yet over. We will meet again._

Korra watched Vaatu disappear before she turned her gaze back to the two spirits and Raava.

_Not much time, _Jian gasped. _Fading._

The fog flickered, changing colors from a hazy green to a reddish color.

_Can't you help, old friend? Umikei asked, gazing at Raava._

_Vaatu's power is strong. I cannot reverse the damage he has done. _Raava said. _The best I can do is dull the effects._

_And me? _Jian wondered. _Is there anything…?_

_No, _Raava said. Korra thought she sounded a little wistful. _This form of yours is unstable. You will fade. _

_And Umikei? _Jian wondered. _What will happen to him? Can you restore him?_

_I do not have that kind of power, _ Raava admitted. _Vaatu and I have always opposed each other but since beginningless time we have always been equals. I cannot undo what he has done, but I can change it. It will not be easy and you must shed these forms in order to survive._

_Anything, _Jian said, as if in pain. _As long as we're together. _

Raava floated around them. _Umikei must be confined, _she said. _Vaatu's essence has corrupted him and left his essence weak. The best I can do is confine him to a pit._

_And will I always be so malevolent? _Umikei asked. _Once I guided mortals and spirits through the spirit world and whispered of fortunes in their ears. Now must I kill these very same beings I helped?_

_No, _Raava conceded. _But you shall have a slightly different purpose. You will be the guardian of your pit. As for what you do, I'm afraid I can only reverse Vaatu's effects so much. Those who enter your pit will never leave._

_Why?_

_They will never remember to leave. _

_And what will become of me? _Jian asked. Korra noticed she was becoming more translucent by the minute.

_A new form, _Raava promised_. But weaker and very different from who you are now._

_And will I remember anything?_

_I do not know,_ Raava replied. _Perhaps. But, even my power has its limits. All I can ensure is that you will change and you will be together. Whether or not you remember is up to you._

Jian deliberated for a moment and then seemed to sigh.

_Let it be done, then. But first, dispose of these. _

With great effort, Jian peeled off her armor and her helmet and set it before Raava.

_No one must find it. Break them and scatter them, for if a mortal finds it and dons my armor and wields my blade, their power will be unchecked._

_Understood._

Umikei released a breathy sigh. _Thank you, friend. _

Once again the sky exploded with bright light and Jian and Umikei's forms dissolved into nothingness. The fog engulfed everything and when Korra opened her eyes again, everything was gone, as if it had been washed away by the fog. All around her was nothing but whiteness, space stretching endlessly in every direction. The only bit of scenery to be seen was a small pool of crystal, clear water. It was several feet away from where Korra was standing and a strange spirit, like a spider, was peering into the depths. Korra waited for the spirit to make a move, but minutes passed and nothing happened. Not one of the spirit's eight legs moved and not one of her eyes blinked. She remained still, as if frozen in time and place. Slowly, Korra approached the pool. She wasn't sure what she expected to find, but it must have been something important if it was keeping a spirit transfixed. Cautiously, she walked up beside the spirit and gazed into the pool. The spider spirit's head was low over the water, but it was not a spider spirit that gazed back at Korra. Instead, she found the face of a beautiful woman with dark hair and eyes so amber they seemed like fire themselves. Korra wasn't sure what possessed her, but she hesitantly reached out to touch the water. When the cool liquid met her fingers, she waited with bated breath for something to happen. A heartbeat passed and then, her world exploded in color.

Korra gasped, jolted awake by the visceral feeling for what she'd just seen. She tried to recall, but it seemed to be fading away as quickly as it came.

"Raava," she asked quietly, "do _you _know what's going on? What'd I just see?"

"I… I'm not sure, Korra," Raava replied, sounding as shocked as she was. "I can't piece them together, either."

Korra tried to remember, but the details were starting to get fuzzier by the second.

All she remembered were two names: Jian and Umikei. They kept popping up in every broken vision she'd experienced, and even the stories that mentioned them revealed very little. Throwing the covers off herself, Korra woke up and decided to make herself some tea, resigned to a sleepless night.

* * *

When Mako entered his apartment, he didn't expect Korra to be up. It was some ungodly hour of the night and Mako himself should have been in bed, but he had offered to help Lin. after Saikhan had been found. The older officer had been discovered on the premises by a junior officer. As near as Mako could figure, Saikhan had disappeared just before the President's gala and Lin had assigned two units to look into the matter, but they hadn't met with much luck until recently.

Saikhan had been found alive and well, but the minute Lin had started asking him questions he'd started ranting about unseen monsters and creatures of myth. There was little Saikhan divulged that made sense. He couldn't remember what happened to him and he had no recollection of what he'd been doing before he went missing. All he remembered were strange spirits chasing him. An expert team of healers had examined him soon after he'd been found, but if he was chased by spirits, he certainly wasn't hurt by them. Not a single healer was able to find any evidence of injuries or a fight. So, naturally, that got Lin curious and she had started investigating the matter. Mako had offered to help and had hurried back to his apartment to grab a bite to eat and ask Korra if she'd like to join (spirit world creatures were kind of her expertise, after all) and he'd been prepared to rouse her from sleep. But, when he entered the apartment, he found Korra wide awake, seated at the kitchen table and staring at a wall.

"Couldn't sleep?" Mako wondered, heating up some leftovers and joining her at the table.

Korra frowned. "I did sleep. That's the problem."

"It is?"

"I dreamed, but I can't remember a single thing. I feel like I should."

"It'll come back to you," Mako reassured her. "Don't worry."

"Somehow, I don't think it will," Korra said.

"You never know," Mako reasoned.

"What're you doing up?" Korra wondered, changing the subject. "Still on duty?"

"Technically, my shift ended a couple hours ago," Mako admitted. "But, Saikhan's been found and Lin's investigating his disappearance, so I offered to help."

"They found him?" she asked, suddenly more alert than ever.

"Yeah," Mako replied. "Just a while ago. Apparently he was raving about being chased around by spirits. There's not a bruise on his body. Whatever happened did a number on him, for sure."

Korra's vision swam right in front of her, threatening to explode once again into the barren wastelands of what the spirit world used to be millennia ago, but something nagged at her consciousness, telling her to find out more about what happened to Saikhan.

"Did you get a chance to ask him questions?"

"Not yet," Mako responded. "But I was headed to ask him some in a bit. Want to come?"

Korra grinned. "You know I do!"

They were out the door and on the way to the Station on Mako's bike within minutes.


	15. Chapter 14

_**A/N: **This is a big one! There's a lot going on in this chapter, and the good guys might finally have a big breakthrough in solving what went on with Skoochy and Saikhan, but at a price. We find out more about Rumi's life, and surprisingly, someone she knew before she became an Assassin! Also, poop just started to go down, and it's going to be a doozy writing the next one. Trust us, we know XD. Once again, thanks for sticking with us!_

* * *

The first thing Saikhan registered was the blinding light. Blinking drowsily, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and made to get up, only to find he was securely tied down to the bed and hadn't a hope of getting out. For a split second, he panicked, unsure of what to do. Then, he registered the sound of voices nearby and did the only thing logical. Saikhan began screaming for help. It took all of fourteen seconds (he had counted) for a nurse to rush in and check his vitals before attempting to sedate him. He didn't have any luck, so he was forced to call for backup. And backup came, but not the type Saikhan expected. Lin barged in, followed by Mako and Korra. Without hesitating, she took the needle from the nurse, jabbed Saikhan none too gently and then frowned at him.

"Pull yourself together," She said, glaring as Saikhan howled in pain. "We need to talk and I can't have you losing your head now."

Saikhan wasn't sure if it was Lin's tone or whatever was in the syringe that eventually calmed him down. When he was deemed fit enough to talk (and "not cause a scene" in Lin's words) the nurse left Saikhan alone with Lin, Mako, and Korra.

"You have to get me out of here," Saikhan said. "They'll be close behind."

"Who?" Lin demanded.

"I don't know," Saikhan replied, looking pale. "Some sort of spirit monster that's been on my tail for days."

"There is no spirit monster," Lin said. "Now talk properly."

"There is," Saikhan insisted. "I saw it. It had glowing red eyes and the strangest colored skin and sharp teeth. I don't know what I did to it, but it wants me."

"Doubt it. Where did you go?"

"I was following a lead when it jumped me. I was by the warehouses."

"What warehouses?" Lin demanded.

"Somewhere by Main Street," Saikhan said, looking pensive. "Or, at least, I think it was near that area. The spirit creature only showed up once I got to the Dragon Flats district."

"There was no spirit monster," Lin repeated. "Keep going."

"There was," Saikhan said, adamantly. "I saw it with my own two eyes!"

"There weren't any monsters,' Lin said. "If there were, how come no one else has reported anything. Why would a monster go after you and no one else?"

"I'll be damned if I know," Saikhan said. "But I guarantee it was after me. Ask the Avatar if you don't believe me. She'll know. She can verify. It's probably here."

Mako and Lin turned to Korra.

"Is there any spirit monster here?"

For a second, Korra's vision swam and she thought she saw something, but it vanished as quickly as it came.

"Not that I'm aware of," She said. "If there was, you'd all see it just as clearly as I could."

"See. I told you," Lin said to Saikhan. "Anything else?"

Saikhan yawned hugely. "There was something else. I'm sure of it. I just…" His words petered out and he dozed off.

"Well, that was informative," Lin grumbled.

"You think any of it was true?" Mako wondered, glancing at Lin.

"Hardly. Saikhan was found on the property, in one of the storage sheds by headquarters. He was bound and my guess is probably gagged, but the gag had fallen off by the time we had found him. There's no way he could've been running around or been chased by a monster and come out with just minor bruises. The nurses and doctors say he's fine except for some trauma or something or other. He's been talking nonsense for hours. and one of the nurses said he almost decked her, so he's being monitored and sedated when necessary."

"You don't think he'll reveal anything useful?" Korra asked, following Lin and Mako as they made their way out.

"Beyond whatever little he said? Doubt it. I'll have to talk to his wife and see if she knows anything or if he told her anything during visiting hours. For now, I need you two to find a nurse and give this to her." The earthbender extracted a piece of paper with some writing on it. "Since we can't have someone watching Saikhan around the clock, that's the number they're supposed to call to fill us in. Make sure one of them gets it. Saikhan's wife is in the lobby downstairs; I've got to talk to her. I'll see you two later."

Mako sighed. "Guess we're back to square one. Nothing is really making sense."

Korra nodded, but otherwise said little else.

Mako led them down the corridor towards the nurse's station, where a single nurse was entering information into a logbook. She perked up and smiled brightly at Mako when he explained the situation at hand and promised to give him a call if anything happened.

"You'll be the first to know," she promised, winking at him. Mako didn't bother pointing out the number that went straight to Lin, but he thanked her anyway and hurriedly left before he did something embarrassing.

"So," Korra said, offhandedly. "Cute nurse."

"Eh, she's not my type. You could give her a call, though."

Korra snorted. "She's not my type, either. And since when do you have a type?"

Mako shrugged.

"Care to tell me what it is?"

"Waterbending girls who can save the world. And kick my butt."

Korra just smiled and if she wrapped her arms a little tighter around Mako on the ride home… well, that wasn't anyone's business but hers.

* * *

"It's been awhile since I've done this," Senna admitted. She and Rumi were perched high atop the rooftop of a skyrise near the outskirts of Republic City. The two had been following a lead connected to Mizu, the dead nurse, but it hadn't led anywhere. So, for the time being, they had decided on a small break. A normal person would have probably picked a small diner or a quaint cafe and at this hour, plenty were open. But, Rumi liked sitting on top of tall buildings and watching life go by and Senna hadn't had much excitement as of late, so it worked for both of them.

"I'd imagine there aren't too many opportunities for the wife of the chief to do this," Rumi laughed, poking at some stir fry the two had picked up. Eating on duty wasn't a habit of hers, but Rumi figured it wouldn't matter this time; she and Senna were both famished and it gave them a chance to unwind a bit and catch up.

"There aren't," Senna admitted, savoring her food. "It's nice to do this again. Ever since Korra left home, I've been itching for something to do, but I never thought it'd be this."

"Must feel strange," Rumi said, smiling a bit.

"It is, but in a nice way. Reminds me of the good, old days."

"You ever wish you could go back?" The younger woman wondered.

"Not really," Senna admitted. "It was fun while it lasted, but I've got Tonraq and Korra now and things have changed and I'm not willing to give it all up to go back, even if we had a lot of fun back then."

Rumi gazed out at the dark waters of Yue Bay that stretched out towards the horizon. In the moonlight, her features seemed to almost glow, but it didn't match with her wistful expression on her face.

"Must be nice to have a family," she said, staring at the twinkling lights of a ship far in the distance.

Senna set down her food and took her friend's hand.

"Hey, you're not so old. You could always try again. Anyone would be lucky to have you."

Rumi snorted. "After the first time?" She shook her head. "I don't think I'm cut out for it."

"That's not true," Senna said. "That was just…"

"A mistake," Rumi replied. "It shouldn't have happened. I should have been smarter."

"You can't plan for these types of things. They never work."

"I know, but still, If I'd just made some smarter decisions..." Rumi sighed and then gave Senna a small smile. "Anyway, the past is in the past. We should probably finish up and get back. Tonraq will have my head if we don't have you back at a reasonable hour."

Senna winked. "We can take him."

Both women laughed.

"This was fun," Rumi admitted. "Spending time together and catching up, I mean. I wish we could do it more often, even if it means we might have cases to investigate."

Senna suddenly looked pensive.

"There's a saying: be careful what you wish for." She turned to Rumi and grinned. "I think we might just have another lead."

She pointed out a satomobile weaving slowly around the block. The driver seemed to be looking for something but from their vantage point, the two hadn't a hope of hearing any discourse that might have been exchanged. For five minutes or so, the satomobile crawled around the block, stopping and starting at random intervals. Then, at last, the driver sped off in one direction.

"Didn't you say there was nothing down this road?" Senna said.

Rumi nodded. "There's just this building's satomobile lot and then the road extends beyond that, but it's just empty, run-down warehouses and beyond that, more abandoned warehouses and a creepy, haunted mansion that's been left untouched for at least four decades."

"Why would anyone want to go there?"

Rumi shrugged. "The city's full of all sorts of people."

"Still. That satomobile looked pretty expensive. What would someone with a satomobile like that being doing at a place like this? Especially at this hour."

"You think it's worth investigating?" Rumi wondered.

"Only one way to find out."

Both women grinned and dove head first off the building.

* * *

Aku pulled up beside a parked satomobile and lowered his window.

"Evening, boys."

The two men in the car lowered their papers and nodded.

"Shipment's in the back," the driver said. "Got everything in smoothly, this time."

"And the police don't suspect anything?"

"'Course not," the companion said. "Zolt came through. I've got to admit, the Triple Threats are doing a pretty decent job at planting red herrings and keeping the police off our trail."

"Excellent. Load the shipment into my satomobile and we can call it a night."

"Sure thing, boss," the men chorused, setting down their papers and moving small crates from one satomobile to the next. The boxes weren't too large or too heavy, so thankfully the job was done in record time.

One man closed the door and signalled to Aku.

"All set boss."

Aku nodded and waited as his men reversed and drove away. Once they were out of sight, he started the engine and made to drove off, only to be stopped by two hooded figures who blocked the road.

He laughed. "Well, look who decided to crawl out of their hole. Bit late for you ladies to be wandering around, isn't it?"

Neither one said anything, so Aku took the opportunity to carry on.

"I'm in a bit of a rush," he stated. "So if you don't leave, I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to run you over."

Again, neither one responded.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Aku revved the engine and drove forward and within seconds, all four tires on his satomobile went flat. He cursed.

The older of the two women glanced at Aku before turning back to her companion.

"Is that him?"

The companion nodded once and that was all Aku cared to hear. He jumped out of the car and slammed the door shut, glaring at both women.

"I'm not sure if you're aware who I am, but you picked the wrong man to mess with tonight. Ordinarily, I'd love to stay and fight, but I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a rush. Consider this a parting gift."

Aku reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cannister and aimed it at the women. If all had gone according to plan, and if the formula had been perfected, this would be the most potent version yet. And these two women had given him the perfect opportunity to test the newest version of the gas he'd worked so hard to create. Aku only had one shot and he was confident he wouldn't miss.

But, as was always the case with these sort of things, nothing went according to plan.

One of the women noticed what he was about to do and in an annoyingly heroic move, she pushed her companion aside, effectively ensuring that the gas hit her alone. Aku was pleased to note the gas had its intended effect (the woman dropped like a leaf and it wouldn't be too long before things really got interesting) but that still left him with the companion to deal with. Luckily for him, however, the companion seemed more concerned with her friend giving Aku an opportunity to escape.

In hindsight, he should have seized it. It wouldn't have been too hard to simply get back in the satomobile and drive off and that's what he should have done. But the companion's voice stopped him. He gaped for a full minute before he could move.

"Senna?" The companion was saying. "Senna?"

Aku hauled her to her feet and removed her hood. And, for a minute, all was silent. Aku almost felt as if he'd forgotten to breathe. It took him a few seconds before his brain started functioning again, but when it did, it didn't take long to come up with a plan and put it in motion. In a lightning fast move, he extracted a blade from the woman's belt and drove it into her side. A scream bubbled up in her mouth, but Aku used his hands to muffle it. He didn't even bat an eyelash as the companion fell to the ground and he gave no sign of remorse as her first tears started falling. Instead, all Aku did was reach down and pluck the brooch from her uniform before getting back into his satomobile and driving off. His smile was still bright even as the first drops of blood began to stain the pavement.

* * *

"So you're saying you make the best arctic hen dumplings in the entire world?" Korra asked him as she popped another one into her mouth.

"Do I see an empty plate or not?" Mako noted with a smirk.

The pair had decided to indulge themselves in a midnight snack after Saikhan's interrogation, leaning against each other on the plush, red couch Mako had allowed himself to buy when he'd moved from his old apartment. All too comfortable to move, they'd settled on the couch, playfully arguing about who made better dumplings.

"Hey, all I'm saying is that you've never tried the ones I make," Korra challenged.

"How come I never got to try those?"

"You know, it's hard to find time to cook when you're being kidnapped or bloodbent or poisoned," Korra joked.

Mako froze. He hadn't meant to remind her of all those things, and yet he did. But more than anything, he was reminded of his own fear on all the occasions she'd nearly died.

"Hey," Korra cut in, interrupting his train of thought. "Are you okay?"

He realized how stricken he must've looked because Korra seemed really worried.

"How can you be so… I mean… how can you just joke about all that stuff?" he asked her.

"It's the only way I can ever deal with it," Korra admitted plainly. "People are always trying to get to me, Mako, and I've made my peace with that. If I keep worrying about everyone who wants me dead, I'll never be able to do my job."

"It scares me," Mako admitted quietly. "It scares me that they want you dead. And it scares me to think about how they almost succeeded."

Korra sighed and took his hand in hers. "Well, they didn't," she assured him, gripping his hand firmly. "It'll take a lot more than that to take me down. I promise."

He couldn't help but smile as he rested his forehead against hers, feeling happier than he had in years. He was just about to kiss her when the front door flew off its hinges and Tonraq stood where it had been moments ago, looking more panicked than they'd ever seen him. He opened his mouth to explain himself, but before he could even get a word out, he was tackled to the floor as a large mass of white squeezed into the apartment and began licking Mako and Korra.

"There's a polarbear dog in my apartment," Mako said dumbly, as Naga greeted Korra. "How did she get past the doorman?"

"I think her tail wagging knocked him out," Tonraq admitted. "Look, I'm sorry for barging in and calling at this hour…"

"And breaking my door," Mako deadpanned.

Tonraq looked sheepish. "That too. But Senna's in trouble. She left with Rumi hours ago and she hasn't returned."

"Naga, calm down, girl. I'm fine, I- Naga, sit!" Korra ordered, and Naga finally backed away and let her sit up.

"Where did they go?" Korra asked.

"They were following up on a lead in the case of that psychotic nurse. We think there might be a connection to that and the triads," Tonraq said, looking at Mako.

"By we, do you mean the Assassins?" Korra noted with an edge to her voice.

"Yes," Tonraq sighed, "but Lin seems to agree, too. But she already has her hands full with Saikhan, and-"

"We can help," Mako offered. "Naga can get us there if you know the way."

Tonraq nodded, looking like he could've hugged them both.

It took about five minutes for the pair to change into their regular clothes and head out into the street where Naga waited anxiously.

"Come on," Korra offered Mako her hand after she'd clambered onto Naga's saddle.

"Is your dad-" Mako began, but Tonraq cut him off.

"Just get on, Mako," Tonraq said with a nudge.

When they were all seated, Korra signalled Naga to move forward, and they sped off into the night.

It had been a while since Naga had done any tracking, but time had done nothing to affect her skills. It didn't take her very long to find Senna's scent and once she picked up on it, it was only a matter of minutes before she led Korra and the others straight to Senna. Korra wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn't what they found. Naga had led them to a seedier section of the shipping district where the last of the residential areas gave way to warehouses and wharves. It wasn't the type of area Senna was known to frequent, but the trio found her and Rumi there, looking worse for the wear. Senna seemed half-conscious and dazed and Tonraq was rushing towards her even before Naga had stopped running. Thankfully, despite whatever had happened, Senna hadn't sustained any major injuries.

Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said of Rumi.

"Stab wound," Mako said, taking note of the bloodstained pavement. "That must've been the weapon used."

Korra knelt beside Mako and examined a blade lying on the ground. It matched the blades in Rumi's belt, but this one, unlike the others, was stained crimson.

Mako cursed. "That's a lot of blood."

"Is she alive?" Tonraq asked.

"She won't be for much longer at this rate," Korra muttered. She gently nudged Mako aside and extracted a small amount of water from the air and began healing Rumi. Mako wasn't sure if it was fatigue or worry that made Korra's hands shake as she did her work, but he didn't say anything. Korra worked in silence for five minutes before she finally let up.

"I've stopped the bleeding," she said, turning to Mako. "But that won't be enough. She needs medical attention and I've got to help my mom."

The firebender nodded, squeezing her hand. "I know. I'll get her to a hospital. You just take care of your mom. She'll be okay, right?"

Korra glanced back at her father whose large frame dwarfed her mother's as he scooped her up and helped her onto Naga

"I...don't know," Korra admitted. "I hope so."

Mako didn't feel particularly optimistic, but he offered Korra a smile and squeezed her hand. "Well, if she's like you, I'm sure she will be. Do what you have to do; I'll catch up later."

Korra nodded. "Dad thinks we should take her to see Katara on Air Temple Island so I guess that's where we'll be. You'll meet us there, right?"

Mako nodded. "Promise."

Korra gave him a small smile and a quick kiss before she clambered on to Naga and disappeared down the road.

* * *

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

Asami looked over her shoulder to find her assistant standing in the doorway.

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to let you know I'm done for the night. I'll see you tomorrow."

Asami nodded, turning back to the blueprints she had spread out on the table. Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't be working this late, but ever since she'd started analyzing the blueprints for her father's workshop hideout, something had been bothering her. Something about the blueprints just didn't add up.

"If the tunnels start here," she muttered, marking her family's mansion and then tracing the route with her finger to the Equalist hideout she'd travelled to. "They should end here, at Dad's hideout."

Asami shuffled through some papers and withdrew one from a stack.

"Then what's this?" She muttered, glaring at the blueprints as if they'd offended her. The paper was an average sized one, but it had its own set of blueprints on it. It was evidently somehow connected to the network of tunnels her father and Amon had devised, but it didn't seem to match at all. Sighing in frustration, Asami threw the paper down and buried her head in her hands. She was beyond tired and after a stressful day of work, the last thing she wanted to do was sift through blueprints, but she'd had little luck relaxing and falling asleep. That's why she'd decided to tackle the blueprints in the first place, but now she was starting to regret it.

It took about five minutes for Asami to decide to call it a night. She was just in the process of gathering all her papers when she noticed something odd. The smaller set of blueprints she'd tossed aside had fallen atop the larger set. If she rotated it so that it was upside down, the smaller set aligned completely with the larger set and everything fell into place. Asami grinned. Hurriedly grabbing the two sets of blueprints, she rushed to the nearest phone and dialed Mako's number. He must've been asleep of busy because all she hear was ringing/

Cursing, she dialed another phone number. And this time, there was an immediate answer.

"Chief Beifong here," Lin's crisp voice greeted her.

"Chief Beifong? Yes, this is Asami. Mako had asked me to drop off a set of blueprints for a case

he'd been working on. I tried to get him at his apartment, but…"

"He's out investigating a lead with Korra. Last I heard, he was on his way to the City Central Hospital. You can probably catch him there."

"I'll see if I can. Thank you." Asami replied and hung up.

She rolled the blueprints up and hurried out of her house, just as the first rays of sunlight started spilling over the horizon.

* * *

"Detective?"

Mako looked up just in time to see a nurse poke her head in.

"Yes?"

The nurse gave him a small smile. "Doctor's reports just came back. Your friend will make it. But until she wakes up, I'm afraid you can't question her."

Mako wanted to point out he had no intention of waking Rumi up (mostly because he wasn't sure he'd find a suitable excuse to do so), but he just nodded and went back to staring listlessly out the window. The nurse shut the door and left Mako alone in silence.

Mako didn't think he'd have a problem staying in the hospital, keeping an eye on Rumi, but he was starting to realize how boring it was when the second hour passed. Since the start of this case, he'd been in the hospital more times than he cared to count and he was quickly growing tired of it. There wasn't much to do since he hadn't any of his files with him and Rumi didn't even stir as she lay on a bed.

Mako sighed and slouched further in the uncomfortable chair in the room. Getting Rumi to the hospital had been a feat, but now that she had been treated, there was little Mako could do to pass the time. He spent some time watching the occasional odd satomobile roll past and spent some time listening to chatter beyond the closed door of Rumi's ward, but even that didn't entertain him for long. Once, Rumi stirred, and Mako got up to fetch a doctor, but the young woman didn't open her eyes or move after that, so Mako sat back down and waited.

After three hours of futilely entertaining himself, Mako finally ran out of things to do. For twenty minutes, he just sat silently and stared at the wall. Then he glanced at Rumi. In the dim light of the room, she looked paler than he'd seen her before. Her dark hair had fallen out of it's plait and was strewn across the pillow making her look more like a hastily arranged corpse than someone who survived a stab wound. Other than her shallow breathing and the occasional odd twitch, nothing indicated that she was really alive. Mako hoped she was. He had a lot of questions he wanted to ask and he didn't exactly want to see her dead...even if he hadn't known her for very long.

He snorted, remembering how he'd failed at filling out her paperwork earlier. Other than her name, the firebender knew next to nothing about Rumi. The nurses in the emergency room had promised to look up past files and fill out the remaining information as best as they could, but Mako wasn't sure if they'd had any success. Quietly, so as not to disturb Rumi, Mako stood up and crossed to room to read the file the doctor had placed on her bedside table. As Mako suspected, Rumi's records were virtually blank. Other than her name, there was little else to be found. Mako flipped through the pages, carefully scanning them for anything useful but nothing popped out.

"You won't find anything," a raspy voice said. Mako was embarrassed to admit that he dropped the file and nearly jumped out of his skin.

Rumi sat up in her bed, mindful of her wound and fixed Mako with an unreadable expression.

"I figured as much," Mako said, picking the file up and setting it on the table again. "How are you feeling?"

Rumi shrugged and then winced. "As good as one can feel after they've been stabbed."

Mako just nodded.

"Well, aren't you going to ask?"

"Ask what?" Mako wondered.

"What you've wanted to ask since you saw me at the Avatar's house."

"So it is you," Mako said. "I thought it was."

"I was wondering when you'd recognize me."

Mako wanted to explain that he had sooner, but in truth, he'd buried it away and thought as little of it as possible. Rumi had looked vaguely familiar when he'd first seen her with Tonraq at Korra's house, but he hadn't thought much of it until he had been forced to wait for her to wake up. With nothing to do, his mind had wandered in old memories until he'd pieced together the clues.

"So…" Mako began.

Rumi gave the tiniest of smiles. "So eloquent. Did the nurses say when I can be discharged?"

"Probably not until that wound heals," Mako replied. "In the meantime, I've got questions."

"I figured you would," Rumi sighed. "Go on."

The standard procedure would have been to ask what happened and where she and Senna had been before they'd gotten attacked, but for once, Mako threw caution to the wind and asked the one question he really wanted to know.

"Why did you disappear?"

Rumi snorted. "That's the question you're asking?"

Mako shrugged. "I was curious."

"Didn't have much of a reason to stay, did I?"

"I guess not," Mako admitted. "But Zolt did look for you, you know? I think he felt guilty. After all, you were engaged to his brother."

Rumi flinched again as if in pain, though whether physical or emotional pain, Mako couldn't tell.

"It's a long story. I'm not sure you want to hear it," Rumi said, looking down at her hands.

"I've got time," Mako lied. He was itching to get back to Korra, but he also didn't want to pass up this chance at questioning Rumi.

Rumi sighed again and fiddled with the hem of her hospital gown.

"As far as I know," She began. "Zolt's mom had him really young, maybe around fifteen or sixteen. She had his brother, Rei, much later and they moved to the city when Rei was really young. Despite their age difference, Zolt really cared for Rei. I only met Rei when he came to the Northern Water Tribe to finish his studies, but we just fell in love. Rei wasn't really connected to anything Zolt did and we did our best to distance ourselves from any work he might have been involved in, but that didn't last long. My parents cut me off as soon as I mentioned Rei and I were engaged and they didn't take the news of me being a mother at eighteen very well either."

"They didn't approve," Mako guessed. "Of Rei."

Rumi rolled her eyes. "They didn't even approve of me, much less Rei. My mother was convinced he was only using me for my family's money and that he'd bail the second the baby was born."

"So they didn't let you get married, I'm guessing?"

"No. They did their best to separate us, but it didn't work very well. Rei and I all but lived together. I thought maybe after he finished his studies, we could move away, lead a nice, quiet normal life, but things didn't turn out that way. After our daughter was born, my mother tried to get rid of her, assuming Rei was just using her as a way to get to the family inheritance. Rei and I ran away to Republic City after that, but I had nothing other than what little I could fit into a suitcase and Rei had little after paying his way through university. We tried our best to do odd jobs and earn, but it wasn't much of a life. Our daughter was barely a month old before Rei decided we couldn't live life like that. For her sake, we decided to reach out to Zolt for help. Surprisingly, he was really kind and he offered to help, but he made it clear he had an image to maintain and that he couldn't just fork over large amounts of cash for no reason without the other triad members getting suspicious and causing trouble. If he was ousted as leader, he guaranteed we'd never get a penny. So he told us the only way was to join the Triple Threats and work our way up the ranks or join his lackeys on one raid. The money would have been enough to give us a fresh start. Rei and I weren't comfortable joining the Triple Threats especially with a baby, so we told him we weren't joining."

"I remember that," Mako said, smiling. "It was the first time I'd ever seen anyone refuse Zolt's offer."

"Yeah, well, fat lot of good it did us. Rei went on the raid and that was the last time I ever saw him alive."

Mako's smile faded. "If it's any consolation, Zolt killed the guy who did it. I know it doesn't change things, but...Zolt looked into the whole matter. There was some fight between the Triple Threats and the Red Monsoons, and Rei basically ensured that the profits from the raid made it back to Zolt. It cost him his life, but Zolt vowed vengeance on the guy who took Rei's life and made sure he paid for it. After that, he tried looking for you, but you'd disappeared."

Rumi nodded. "I had a daughter to take care of and I wasn't sure if the money was ever going to make it to us, so I tried to find more work, but it wasn't much use. Eventually, it just got to the point where I couldn't provide for my daughter so I was forced to put her up for adoption. She was so young…" She trailed off and angrily wiped away a tear that had managed to fall. "I never saw her again after that, either."

"How did you meet Tonraq and Senna then?" Mako asked. "Did they know?"

"A little. I told them as little as possible. After I gave my daughter up for adoption, I struggled to support myself. I finally found work in a brothel of all places. I pretended to be mute and they hired me as a cleaning girl for next to nothing wages. I met Tonraq and Senna when they had to infiltrate the brothel for some intel. I passed along supposedly vital information and in return, they got me out."

"So it all worked out fine in the end, I guess."

"Maybe. But I lost a fiance and somewhere out there, there's a little girl probably resenting her mother for giving her away," Rumi said sadly, turning over on her side. Mako took that as his cue to leave; it didn't seem like Rumi wanted to divulge much more. The firebender quietly made for the door, but stopped on the threshold.

"Hey," Mako said. Rumi looked over her shoulder at him. "Thank you for telling me. I asked, because...I wanted to thank you. Bolin and I were still with the Triple Threats when you and Rei showed up. I haven't really admitted this to anyone, but Zolt intimidated me. If it hadn't been for you and Rei proving he's got at least some good in him, I don't know how Bolin and I would have turned out. But you guys inspired us to leave and find Toza, so...thank you."

Rumi gave Mako a wider smile this time. "You're welcome. See you around, detective."

Mako exited the room and made his way to the nurses station to inform them that Rumi had been up and to call him in the event that anything else happened. But, when he got there he found the two nurses on duty arguing amongst themselves as an indignant Asami tried to get past them.

"Officer Mako is seeing a victim right now, miss," one nurse said. "You can't go in."

"Do you know who I am?" Asami demanded, looking irate. "If you would just tell the _detective _that I'm here…"

"But ma'am," one began, only to to be stopped by her companion whispering who Asami was.

"Oh, never mind. I'm so sorry, Miss Sato. I didn't know you were a personal friend of the detective's."

Asami brushed past them and grinned when she noticed Mako.

"Hey," she said, smiling at him. "You were right. Those blueprints you asked me for the other day: they're all here."

"Anything interesting?" Mako wondered.

Asami's eyes twinkled. "I think you'll like what you find."

* * *

"This is so boring. Can't we do something fun?" Kai's response was met with a book to the face and an unsympathetic glance from Jinora.

"No. Keep looking," She ordered. "I promised Korra I'd find that book with the legend of Jian for her."

"But it's date night," Kai whined, flopping over dramatically. "We always go to Narook's and…"

"We'll have to take a raincheck," Jinora said, unfazed.

"Aw, man. Can't we at least…?"

"No."

Kai groaned and let a book fall from his hands onto his face. He didn't move until someone nudged his foot.

"You've been requested."

Kai pulled the book off his face and glanced up at Opal who'd just entered the library.

"Rohan's looking for you," she said by way of explanation. "I'll help Jinora. You go play with Rohan or help Tenzin."

Kai didn't find that particularly exciting, but it was still better than sifting through old books, in his opinion. He was out before Jinora could even say goodbye.

"Boys," Opal said, laughing.

"Tell me about it," Jinora responded. Both girls giggled.

"Any luck in finding that book?"

Jinora shook her head. "None. But it's in here somewhere. I know it is."

Opal glanced about at the library with all its shelves and books. Over the years, Air Temple Island's residents had amassed an impressive amount of books; sorting through them would be no easy feat. Still, it had to be done. Sighing, Opal reached for a book and began the arduous task of searching for a needle in a haystack.

Admittedly, she and Jinora didn't have much luck. They spent all evening searching and found little of use. By the time midnight rolled around, both of them were so exhausted that they'd fallen asleep in the library itself. One hour passed, then two. Just as the third hour was drawing to a close an insistent pounding on the front door woke them up. Hurriedly shoving aside some books, Jinora rushed to the main entrance of the house, only to find a tired-looking Korra standing in the dim light of the moon, with her father and mother in tow,

"Sorry to disturb you so late at night," the Avatar said, smiling apologetically. "Is Katara asleep? We need help. My mom…"

Jinora took one look at Senna and then rushed to get her grandmother.

"We don't know what happened," Tonraq explained when Katara emerged from her room entered the guest room where Senna had been allowed to rest. "Senna went out and never came back and when we went looking, we found her like this."

"It's like she can't see us," Korra supplied, when Senna started muttering for Korra and Tonraq despite the two being but three feet from her. "As far as I can tell, she's not hurt."

"Doesn't look like it," Katara agreed. "But, let's find out for sure."

Fifteen minutes later, the old waterbender had an answer, but it wasn't what Korra wanted to hear.

"Poison."

"_What?"_

"I'm not sure what happened," Katara said, grimly. "But there's poison in her system now. But there's nothing to indicate that she was injected with it or anything."

"So then how did it get in her?" Tonraq wondered.

Katara shrugged. "Might have been ingested if it was in her food. Or it might have been inhaled if it was heated up enough to turn into a gas."

"Then we'd be able to track the poison down, right? We could find whoever did this?"

Katara smiled sadly at Tonraq. "I don't think it'd be of much use. There's poison in her, alright, but something else too. The poison by itself shouldn't have this effect. You could probably look into whoever bought the poison, but it's been mixed with something else."

"And you have no idea what that might be?" Korra wondered.

"I couldn't even begin to guess," Katara said, sadly. "The hallucinations might have been caused by some sort of poison cocktail, but most don't work very well if they're in the gaseous form. It's works much better if it's directly injected into someone, but there's nothing to indicate that Senna received any kind of injection. Besides, poison normally doesn't affect chi like this."

Tonraq looked a little lost, but Korra understood what Katara meant when she tried her hand at healing Senna.

"Her chi paths feel blocked," Korra said. "That's not normal, even for blocked chi paths. And…"

The Avatar suddenly broke off and recoiled as if she'd been burned.

"What happened?" Tonraq demanded, looking worried.

Korra shook her head. "I thought I saw…"

Hesitantly, she reached out and tried again. Senna didn't stir as Korra tried healing her again, but something felt off. Korra couldn't place it, but something was wrong.

"I can't seem to get to her chi," Korra muttered as she tried again, but to no avail. "If I can just…"

The room was suddenly brightened as Korra's eyes flashed white, but it quickly faded.

"What just happened?" Tonraq demanded, growing increasingly worried. "Korra?"

The Avatar blinked once, and then her surroundings melted into darkness.

* * *

The first rays of sunlight were just spilling over the horizon when Hana found Ami. She was sitting on the roof of the old mansion, watching a lone trawler cruise lazily through Yue Bay. She must have just gotten up recently, because she'd hastily thrown a shawl over her night clothes and her hair was in a disarray and she looked tired.

"Hey," Hana said, taking a seat beside her. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep," Ami admitted, smiling at her. "What're you doing up so early?"

"I don't know. I just got up because something felt off and you weren't in bed, so I came to find you."

Ami smiled apologetically. "Didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's fine," Hana said, brushing it aside. "It's nice to be able to watch the sunrise every once in awhile."

For some time, the two sat in silence. Just as the last vestiges of night faded and the sun pushed free of the horizon, Hana spoke.

"I've been thinking," she began. "Aku's getting really excited. He's found something big and he's nearly ready to put his plan into action. If we're going to bail, we should do it soon."

"What's stopping us from leaving now?" Ami wondered.

"Aku, for one thing," Hana admitted. "He's given me a job. If we bail now, he'll suspect something. We've got to be careful how we go about this. If we can somehow slip away while Aku is diverted with other things, well...maybe he'll think something happened to us or he'll be too concerned with the plan to care."

Ami nodded. "I hear the Earth Kingdom's forests are really nice this time of year. Pretty dense too. Might be a nice place to get lost in. Some people are never found there."

"Wherever you want to go," Hana said. "I don't care as long as we're together."

"The Air Temples are also nice. Some are awfully hard to get to, but the people are hospitable and we could make it."

"Sounds like a plan," Hana said, grinning. "For now, though, we both have work to do. We should get to it, before someone suspects something."

She stood up and was about to leave before Ami stopped her.

"Hana?" Ami clambered up and hurried over to her.

"Yeah?"

Ami closed the distance between them and kissed her.

"I know we haven't had a lot of time to ourselves lately, but I just wanted to make sure you didn't forget how much you mean to me."

Hana's smile was soft as she returned the gesture. "How could I ever forget?" She whispered, looping her arm through Ami's. "You mean everything to me too."

The two spent a few more minutes in solitude together, unaware that it was the last time they'd be together in a while.


	16. Chapter 15

_**A/N: **This is it. This is the chapter where poop happens. We're so glad you guys have stuck around to get this far. We'd like to thank our regular reviewers CrazyPhenom and BigBoyMan for having followed this story right from the beginning and leaving reviews, and also to the many Guest reviewers who have been leaving nice comments. They really make our day! In answer to a question we got a while ago, there's three of us working on this story. One came up with the basic idea and we've been expanding on it chapter wise! Speaking of our Idea Guy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OWSIS! THIS ONE'S FOR YOU! Also, leave a comment, review,or message for us whenever. We love hearing from you!_

* * *

"Tea, boss?"

Aku glared at Shen as he clumsily set down a cup of tea, effectively breaking Aku out of his reverie. Aku had half a mind to literally kick Shen out, but Shen scurried away, ducking under Aku's fierce glare.

"Clumsy oaf," Aku muttered, reaching for the cup of tea and spitting out the first sip he took. He made a mental note to chastise Shen for his awful tea-making skills. But, scolding his lackey for tea was the least of Aku's concerns. His mind was more occupied with other matters, namely with the stunt he'd pulled not too long ago. It had been pure chance running into Rumi in the dead of night, but Aku was feeling quite pleased with himself. At the very least, he'd bought himself some time, assuming the girl hadn't died. Aku sincerely hoped she had.

For a brief second, something akin to remorse seized him, but it was gone before Aku could get acquainted with the feeling. He wasn't going to pretend he was sorry for what he'd done because Rumi and people like her were (and always had been) a thorn in his side. But, a tiny part of him almost wished he was sorry. Not for his sake, but for Min's. Aku cursed silently. How was he ever to win her back if she caught wind of what he'd done?

"Time enough to worry about that later," Aku decided, after several moments of debating what to do. "For now, there are more pressing matters to deal with."

And there were. There was still the whole spirit world matter to look into, although Aku supposed it was less of a problem and more of a bonus. Their hard work was finally starting to pay off. Decades of planning and implementing... Aku grinned to himself. The end was close, so very close.

* * *

Rumi was starting to regret turning down the offer of some company. The spirit world was vast and she didn't exactly like wandering around it alone, but after being confined to a bed for over twenty four hours, she was more than grateful to have something to do...even if she was all alone. An acquaintance had mentioned some strange activity in the spirit world and Rumi had volunteered to investigate since she was going stir-crazy just sitting around. It had taken some convincing, but at last she'd reluctantly been given the mission. At first, she'd been so excited to leave the hospital ward and have something to do, but as she pressed deeper and deeper into the spirit world, she was starting to realize how boring this all was. Even sneaking in through the tightly-guarded spirit portal hadn't offered much excitement. A few darts had knocked out several guards long enough for her to slip through and no one came in after her, so Rumi was left on her own.

Rumi had never been into the spirit world before, but it wasn't exactly what she expected. The landscape seemed to shift and change and every turn brought something new. Lush green meadows gave way to dense forests which cloaked vast tracts of land and hugged mountain slopes, and mountains descended into quiet valleys; it was almost disorienting how many different places she'd ventured through in such a short time. Still,nothing looked out of place until she wandered into a desolate forest.

There was nothing quite so remarkable about the forest itself. Most of the trees were barren and other than some bushes and shrubs, it seemed entirely devoid of life. What really caught Rumi's attention though, was the wispy fog curling about the place. Unlike normal fog, it seemed to glow a hazy greenish color and pulsed and moved about. She didn't know what to make of it. So, she did the sensible thing and walked right through it.

Nothing happened.

The fog just swirled around her, but it didn't seem to affect her. Rumi released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and pushed deeper into the woods. But the deeper she went, the thicker the fog seemed to be. Eventually, it became so thick, Rumi couldn't see her own hands extended in front of her. That should have prompted her to turn back and go the way she'd come, but she had always been more curious and adventurous than was good for her, so she pressed on. The walk wasn't so bad...until she fell. Twenty feet from where she'd been standing, the ground sloped down into a ravine and Rumi tumbled down, landing at the bottom in an undignified heap. Groaning, she stood up and brushed the dirt off of herself, trying her best to ignore the shooting pain in her side. The fall did nothing to help her slowly-recovering wound (which was starting to feel like it had reopened), but that was the least of her problems. Just beyond the ravine, Rumi heard voices. Clutching her side she began the slow climb to the top. But nothing could've prepared her for what she saw.

At the top of the ravine, stood a gnarled old tree. Just beyond the tree, the landscape flattened and the stretched out as far as the eye could see. Several hundred yards from the old tree was a pit, large and deep, that stretched like a scar across a portion of the land. Several people were milling about the edge of the pit, but Rumi couldn't make out what they were doing from her vantage point. She inched closer to the tree and peered out from behind its large trunk. No one seemed to notice her, so she watched them closely. The men lowered something into the pit and then waited for a minute. Someone from below shouted orders and the men dispersed.

"What are they up to?" She muttered to herself. With the strange colored fog leaking out of the pit, it was hard to see much. She wanted to get a better view, but the throbbing in her side had grown painfully intense, so she knew she'd be in no position to scout the perimeter.

"Maybe if I climb the tree," she mused, peering up at the branches that extended above her. But that wouldn't be possible either, given her current condition. She sighed and braced herself against the tree, deliberating for a moment. If she'd been thinking properly, she'd have noticed the bloodstained handprint she left on the tree and the small pool of blood from her reopened wound, but she was too focused on trying to get a better view to notice either.

* * *

Aku had just hoisted himself out of the pit when Shen scurried over, toting a large bag of supplies with him. It was somewhere around midday as near as he could figure and Aku's stomach was clamoring for food.

"The others have already started lunch," Shen said, by way of explanation when Aku glanced at the empty worksite. "I came to get you, Boss. I know we're really close, but I figured you'd be hungry too."

Aku nodded and let Shen lead the way. He _was_ hungry, but work always came first. They were too close and a little thing like hunger shouldn't have stopped them. But Aku also knew that if his men didn't eat and if he didn't eat, they'd get nowhere. So he let Shen prattle on as they made their way towards an area they'd all deemed a picnic site. The others were already seated and feasting on dumplings and noodles and Aku wedged his way in and procured some food for himself.

Lunch was a surprisingly lively affair. Aku couldn't stand his "comrades" even on the best of days, but whatever else Shen was, he was an excellent cook. The food was excellent, the drinks cool and refreshing and Aku actually enjoyed himself as he listened to Zolt recount a story of how he'd brutally killed some "Red Monsoon scum" for killing his brother. It wasn't often Aku got a chance to do something like that so he indulged himself for a bit. And then it was back to work. The food and drinks were cleared away and everyone resumed their job.

Aku wondered what these low lives would do if he ever told them _exactly_ what they were looking for. He doubted that they'd even believe it if he revealed that he was holding a powerful artifact thousands of years old that, if put together with the rest, could grant them immense power. Then again, they might still want it for themselves to make money.

He surveyed the helmet again as it glowed in the spirit world, trying to guide him towards the next piece. The way it was humming with the low vibration it emitted told him he was getting close, and even though he didn't know what the next piece was, he didn't care. All that mattered was that things were finally falling into place, and that he would be remembered as the man who found and wielded these relics.

"I wish I could see the look on those Assassins' faces," he chuckled to himself as he decided to check up on their work at the pit before returning to the others. His search, while important, could wait until a few loose ends were tied up.

Aku practically skipped back to the pit to continue his work but stopped short at Jian's tree. Behind the trunk he swore he saw a young woman, but he wasn't sure.

"Something wrong, Boss?" Shen asked, nearly colliding with Aku.

"I thought I saw someone, just there," Aku said, gesturing to Jian's tree. Shen squinted but didn't see much.

"A trick of the light," He said, dismissively. "There's nothing there."

"No, I don't suppose she could be," Aku muttered. "But then again…"

Aku strode up to Jian's tree and circled around it, with Shen trailing behind him looking very confused.

"See, Boss? Nothing. Can we go back to work now? I hate spending time here. The sooner we wrap up, the better."

But Aku didn't answer. He was staring hard at a bloodstained handprint on the tree trunk. Hesitantly, he reached out and touched it. His fingers came away red. He staggered back as if he'd been struck.

"Fresh," he muttered. "It's still fresh."

"Boss?"

Aku collected himself and came to a split-second decision.

"Shen," he said, his voice dangerously low. "Tell our comrades to wrap it up. We have to return to the base as soon as possible."

"What for, Boss? It'll be fine. We rigged the place up after the last officer came snooping, remember? Anyone dumb enough to walk there would be wandering right into our trap."

"I've been a fool," Aku said, ignoring him and cursing liberally. "I've dallied too long. I'll have to fix this."

"Boss?" Shen said again, unhelpfully.

"Say your prayers, my dear," Aku cried, shouting to the void and not caring that he looked like a madman while doing so. "Where you're going, you'll need them."

* * *

Korra sat at the table with her head in her hands, trying to make sense of all the broken visions that seemed to burst in front of her, leaving her dazed and a little disoriented to say the least. She couldn't help but feel like she should've _known _what she was seeing… or at least be able to piece them all together, but it was futile.

The second she'd touched the source of what had affected her mother's chi, she'd blacked out; when she'd come to, Mako was at her side, looking paler than ever, along with Kya and Katara, who were still tending to her mother. Senna was mumbling something rapidly, but she could tell it had to do with her because she was talking about someone taking her child away and never being able to see her again.

Korra hated to see her mother like that and she couldn't stand the fact that she was of no help, either. Katara and Kya had been working tirelessly and monitoring Senna's condition, but even their expertise didn't seem to be enough to heal her completely. Korra was worried but some of that worry was allayed by Katara and Kya's patience. Hour after hour slipped by, but the two still tried their best to help Senna. And so morning faded to afternoon which blended into evening, before Katara finally kicked Korra out of her mother's room and urged her to get some much needed rest. Korra had reluctantly agreed and had trudged to the room Tenzin had given her, where a certain firebender found her some time later.

"Hey," she heard Mako say as he entered the room with a tray of food for both of them. "You doing ok?"

"Better than before, I guess," Korra shrugged.

"Eat," Mako said gently, as he set a bowl of porridge in front of her before spreading out a sheet in front of him and surveying it.

"Thanks," Korra replied with a smile. "What's that?"

"Blueprints," Mako replied, his brow furrowing at the note Asami had left with it. "I ran into Asami at the hospital last night and she said she found something here about the Triad case I'd been working on."

"With everything that's going on, I'd almost forgotten you were on that case."

"Me too," Mako admitted, smiling.

"We'll need to narrow down our search for these people," Korra noted. "We need to find their base."

"You're right," Mako agreed. "This whole Triad business looks fishy to me. We've gotten more mysteries than answers with each dead end, and it's just frustrating!"

Korra took his clenched hand in hers to calm him down. "You'll figure it out, detective. You're pretty smart."

Mako quirked an eyebrow. "Really?" he asked with a smirk.

"Only when it comes to cases. Otherwise, you're hopeless," Korra declared.

"I still managed to get you, didn't I?" Mako winked.

"Don't be so sure," Korra joked.

"That's not what you said when you moved in with me," Mako reminded her, smirking all too confidently.

"I was under the assumption that I had nowhere else to go," she lied, knowing full well that he knew she wanted to stay with him as much as he wanted her to.

"And if you did have a choice?" he asked her, his face only an inch from hers.

"T-then," she started to reply, clearing her throat a little. Mako was usually a serious person, but he had an impish humor that sometimes surprised her.

He kissed her then, glad that he could finally do this with her again without feeling a twinge of guilt about rushing her. He couldn't believe that after all this time, things had finally worked out.

"AHEM!"

The pair sprung apart only to notice Tonraq standing there with his arms crossed. They awkwardly slid away from each other, both red in the face, Korra a little more irked than embarrassed.

"Hey, dad," she finally said. "How's mom?"

"She's fine," Tonraq sighed. "She's a little worn out, but she'll be fine after getting some rest. What're you two up to?"

"Trying to make babies," Korra joked, and Tonraq nearly popped a vein in his forehead.

"We… we were checking for clues," Mako clarified. "We got our hands on some blueprints of Hiroshi's workshop, and…"

"So did you find something?"

"The tunnel Hiroshi had set up from the mansion to his secret factory extends into an Equalist safehouse," Mako said, spreading out a set of blueprints on a nearby table and gesturing to the tunnel marked on it.

"That must've been from five years ago," Korra noted.

Mako nodded, "Yeah, this hideout is old and it's been out of use for a while. I thought that the Triple Threats might be using them to get around, but Asami's positive they're not. Besides, if they were, she'd have seen or heard them and the police would've been alerted; the network of tunnels Hiroshi built all converge on the hideout beneath his mansion and the task force sealed all the exits after Hiroshi's arrest so it couldn't be used.."

"So, if they're not using the tunnels, maybe it's something else then," Korra suggested, examining the blueprints. "What if there's a secret passage that links some tunnels together and bypasses the main room under the Sato mansion?"

Mako shook his head. "Unlikely. After Hiroshi was arrested, the police force canvassed those tunnels. Lin found nothing."

"Maybe Hiroshi didn't keep any blueprints for the tunnels?"

"Asami checked it out too. She found nothing."

Korra frowned. "Well, there goes that. If Asami didn't find anything, I guess there isn't anything to find. Have you just tried eliminating areas where you know the Triple Threats aren't?"

"The problem is, they're everywhere," Tonraq said, surprising both Mako and Korra. Neither of them had assumed he'd want to help, but Tonraq just wedged his way in between the two and scrutinized the prints for himself. "That's why they've managed to stay in power for so long. They've got their own turf, but they've got connections all across the city. There are few sectors without Triple Threat activity."

"Do you know any sectors where they aren't?" Mako wondered, eyeing the older man.

Tonraq shrugged and fished out a larger set of prints from the set Asami had given. It was a detailed map of the Equalists tunnel system across Republic City, disguised to look as a sewage system map.

"Rumor has it that the regions here are pretty safe," Tonraq said, pointing to Republic City's suburbs, nestled at the foot of the mountains. "Not urban enough for the triads, apparently. And sector eight is entirely devoid of triad activity."

Korra glanced at the map. "Sector eight's close to the heart of the city. How can it be triad free?"

Tonraq just shot her a look. "It just is. Trust me."

Korra didn't press him further. Mako extracted a pen from his pocket and marked the two regions and then went back to studying the other sheets Asami had given him last night. One of them was for the main mansion, which led to the secret factory and the next one was of the Equalist safehouse and the tunnel system branching off from it. But the third one had the blueprints for an entirely different network of tunnels that led to some old, abandoned warehouses.

"Something's not right," Mako muttered, staring at the blueprints. Korra peered down at them before snatching the third one up and staring at it.

"This looks like it's part of this set," Korra noted. "But it doesn't match."

"Of course not," a voice said. "It's for a secret hideout, after all."

Mako and Korra whipped around to find Asami standing in the doorway. She was clutching a large stack of papers and had a purse slung haphazardly on her arm but she dropped them all on a chair and rushed over to the pair, engulfing Korra in a hug,

"I'm so sorry about your mom; Lin told me Mako was here when I called again about the blueprints and when I phoned Tenzin to see if he was still here, he mentioned your mom. I came over as soon as I could when I heard the news. Is she okay?"

Korra nodded and Tonraq added a "she'll be fine," before politely excusing himself.

"Any luck with those blueprints?" Asami wondered.

Mako shook his head. "Not really. Unless you know what this third set of prints is for?"

"I thought you'd have figured it out," Asami laughed, taking the third set and placing it in such a manner that it was the mirror image of the larger set of prints when held up to the light. "It's print's for another secret passageway in the hideout. I must've missed it the first time. But, it leads straight to land bordering Triple Threat turf."

"So, I was right!" Korra exclaimed, high-fiving Asami, who grinned.

Mako looked stunned. "A secret passage? But metalbenders combed that place. How could they miss it? And even if they missed, you combed every inch of that place. You couldn't have missed it."

"I must've," Asami reasoned. "How else do you explain this set of blueprints? The tunnel network is identical to the network in the hideout, if you flip the image so that the smaller set of prints is the mirror image of the larger one. So it's got to be another secret passage."

Mako examined them closely. For five minutes, no one said a word, but at last Mako spoke.

"As much as I wish it were that easy, it's not. There's no way they can be prints to another set of tunnels. Look." Asami and Korra glanced down at the route he was pointing to. "If these two tunnel systems were connected...well, your dad would have hired a dumb architect. The network indicated on these larger prints would start from the mansion hideout and lead to an Equalist hideout some distance away, but the network indicated on the smaller set of prints would start from the mansion hideout and connect to the existing tunnel system before heading to the warehouses that would be in this general region of the map." He gestured to the area. "Geographically, it doesn't match up. The warehouses should be in the same direction as the Equalist hideout, not in the opposite direction which is what this odd set of blueprints seems to suggest."

Asami passed a hand over her face. "You're right. I hadn't even thought about that."

"So we're back to where we started," Korra said, dejectedly. The trio descended into silence for bit, each pondering the problem at hand. It was some time before Mako gave a sudden exclamation and effectively startled Korra and Asami out of their reverie.

"What is it?" Korra demanded.

"Asami," Mako cried, grinning. "You're a genius!"

"I know I am," she responded, winking. "But, what'd I do?"

"How did you know to flip the smaller set of prints so it mirrored the larger one?" The firebender demanded.

"Lucky guess. I struggled with it, just like you did, but then while organizing my papers, it just fell into place like that and I just fiddled with it until it looked right. Why do you ask?"

"Hold this up to the light," Mako instructed, handing her the larger set of blueprints. The heiress did as asked. Mako retrieved the smaller set of prints and aligned it with the larger set. "I think you were on to something, but maybe you were just looking at it from a different angle. The two sets of prints are superimposable. It's almost the same exact network of tunnels, but look: they lead to two different locations."

"But that's not possible," Asami protested. "We explored those tunnels; I mean the police force did and then I did. And even you guys have been down there. You know the tunnels don't end at the warehouses."

"Not these tunnels, no," Mako said, looking excited. "But what if there was a second hideout?"

"A hideout within a hideout," Korra exclaimed, catching on. "It'd make sense. And if these blueprints are anything to go by, we must be correct."

"But that's not possible. Surely the police force would've found something when they canvassed the place. Or I'd have found the entrance." Asami responded.

"Well, the police force probably wasn't looking for a second hideout," Mako admitted. "They were probably just trying to seal the exits so it couldn't be used. And you wouldn't have known to look for another hideout."

"Judging by the markings on the blueprints, the second hideout must be underneath the first," Korra guessed. "These numbers written here must indicate depth."

Asami gazed at them and nodded. "Yeah. Assuming this second hideout exists, it'd be directly below the existing hideout under the mansion."

"It'd be easy for the Triple Threats to use it," Korra surmised. The network Hiroshi built was huge. This second hideout must cover the same area."

"Probably," Mako nodded. "But instead of all the tunnels starting at the mansion hideout and ending at the Equalist hideout deeper in the city, they all appear to start at the mansion hideout and end at these warehouses on land bordering Triple Threat turf."

"They bypass some drains too," Asami pointed out. "Assuming they are using the secret hideout to smuggle their imported goods or whatever, it wouldn't be too hard to go unnoticed. easiest thing in the world to smuggle goods into and out of the city via the sewer system and this new tunnel system, especially since they're so far underground; even if they passed underneath my house with machines, I'd never hear them."

Korra looked pensive. "We ran away and used the same system to escape Amon, remember? Those tunnels were easily big enough to fit Naga, so they could easily fit machinery. If the Triple Threats are using these networks to do anything undercover, that might explain why all your leads have led to dead ends."

"It would make sense," Mako admitted. "They could carry out whatever they wanted to below ground without being discovered and any clues we'd have to go on would be red herrings because they'd never point to anything going on below ground."

"So, are you going to investigate those tunnels?" Asami wondered, looking up at Mako.

The firebender grinned. "Under normal circumstances, I would, but in this case, I don't think I need to. I've worked with the Triple Threats long enough to know they'd never stash anything in those tunnels. Whatever they're using those tunnels for, it's just for distribution purposes. The bulk of the good would probably be stashed at the warehouses and we can head there directly. Want to come?"

Asami smiled ruefully. "I'd love to, but it's getting pretty late and I have a meeting first thing tomorrow."

"Next time then," Korra said, smiling. "Mako and I can handle this one."

"Just be careful," Asami said, giving them both hugs before gathering her belongings. "That area isn't the best place to be. Those warehouses have been abandoned for decades. You never know who might be hiding there. And, I thought of buying and renovating some when I was looking to expand Future Industries warehouses, but I was advised against; turns out majority of those warehouses are structurally unstable. So stay safe."

"We will," Mako promised. "You should take these blueprints back."

"Won't you need them?" Asami wondered.

"No," Mako said. "I know where the place is and even otherwise, if something happens, I wouldn't want those on me and have them fall into the wrong hands."

"Point taken," Asami said, rolling the prints up and tucking them under her arm. "I'll let you two get to sleuthing. Have fun and be safe!"

Mako and Korra watched her go before the firebender turned to Korra.

"Hey, are you sure you want to come along?" Mako questioned. "You know I always enjoy your company, but I know you're also really worried about your mom and you've been having dreams or visions or whatever and they've been wearing you down."

"That's true," Korra acquiesced. "But, my mom's in good hands and those visions or dreams, whatever they are, still aren't making much sense. I don't think they ever will, so I might as well."

"If you're sure," Mako said, lacing his fingers with hers and squeezing her hand.

Korra's smile was bright even though the light didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Positive."

* * *

It was late when Asami finally returned home. After leaving Air Temple Island, she'd hurried off to the market to buy some groceries, had stopped at the post office to collect a package, and had ordered takeout before finally heading home. By the time she got there, all she wanted to do was eat her dinner and curl up with a good book. But, there was still work to be done so she hurriedly ate and began the arduous task of organizing her files.

Living alone in a giant mansion was not Asami's idea of fun. Most nights, the small staff she kept retired early so she was all alone, but tonight, her assistant was working late, sorting some meetings and future events for her. Usually, Asami took care of that, but since she was currently swamped with work and preparing for a big meeting the following morning, her assistant had offered to put in some extra time and help Asami organize her calendar. Asami didn't think it'd take too long, but she was surprised to find her assistant still working by the time she'd decided to call it a night.

"I didn't expect to find you still here," Asami admitted, checking in on her assistant. June was a woman of about thirty with dark hair and thick glasses and a prim and proper demeanor. Usually, she spent most of her time at the Future Industries office, but she wasn't a stranger to the Sato mansion. Still, she hardly ever stayed past dinnertime and if she did, it was never past ten; in the five years since Asami had hired her, the woman had never once stayed past ten. Asami had expected her to be long gone when she finally emerged from her study, but June was still hard at work at ten forty-five.

"I'm having some trouble sorting these appointments," June admitted. "Mrs. Chu says the time you planned to meet her is most inconvenient and Mr. Bau demands that you see him two days from the day he agreed to. It'll take me some time yet, ma'am."

"I could help," Asami offered. "After all, it is my calender you're organizing."

"No thank you, ma'am. I'll take care of it."

Asami sighed. Getting June to be remotely friendly seemed to be an uphill battle she was losing.

"If you're sure," Asami said, disappearing back into her study. When she emerged again an hour later, June was still there, sorting through appointments.

"You do know you can leave that for tomorrow, right?" Asami asked.

"Yes ma'am, but I'd rather finish it all tonight, if I can."

Asami sighed. June had always been strange like that, but she was good at what she did and fast...even if Asami did find her a little odd at times.

"If you're sure," Asami said. June nodded. "I'm going to take a shower. Yell if you need anything."

June nodded and watched her employer leave. As soon as Asami was out of sight, June slipped out from behind the desk she'd been sitting at and bolted for the study.

Inside the study, only a single desk lamp was on, filling the room with a soft glow. Asami's desk was littered with papers but none of that interested June. She shoved them aside, rummaging about for something else. When she didn't find it on the desk, she began rummaging through the drawers. With minutes to spare, she extracted a set of blueprints from Asami's drawer and gave it a once-over before hurriedly tearing a piece of it off and shoving it into her pocket. She rolled up the blueprint and hastily shoved it back into the drawer, before exiting the way she came.

It didn't take long for June to leave the mansion. She'd kept her purse and keys ready and raced out of the house in record time, practically diving into her satomobile and taking off. She sped through the streets like death itself was chasing her and didn't stop until she reached a certain high-rise in downtown Republic City. Letting herself in with a passcode, June made her way past Reception and hurried to the elevator, which she took to the penthouse. Once the doors opened, June straightened her skirt and walked out of the elevator and down the hallway, making the first right and entering a beautifully furnished room that offered a panoramic view of Republic City's skyline. A middle-aged man dressed in green was reposing in a chair, thumbing through a magazine while drinking sake. A warm fire had been lit and he seemed very relaxed. June had to clear her throat three times before the man even noticed her.

"Yes?"

"I believe I have what you're looking for, Sir." June said. "The idiot actually brought it home with her."

"Let me see it," he demanded, closing the magazine and stretching out his hand. June placed the torn piece of parchment in his hand and waited with bated breath.

"Well done, my dear. This is simply splendid. And the prototype designs?"

"I'll send the sketches to you soon, Sir."

"Good. See that you do. Dismissed."

June bowed. "Good evening, Sir."

"Yes," Lau Gan-Lan said to himself, grinning widely. "It certainly is."

* * *

"Well," Korra said, surveying her surroundings. "Someone needs to have a word with the landscaper."

She and Mako had arrived at the abandoned warehouses and were not met with a welcome sight. The warehouses looked old and derelict and many looked like just opening the door might be enough to cause the whole structure to come crashing down. Apart from the warehouses, there was an old mansion that certainly looked like it belonged in one of those horror movers Varrick wanted to film. Large vines clung to the brick front and a crumbling staircase led up to a door that looked like it had been scratched by a moose-lion. Decaying plants lined the front of the house and the stench of rotten fish permeated the air. All in all, it didn't look like the kind of place Korra imagined when she thought of a triad hideout; she assumed they had higher standards when it came to choosing off-the-grid hideouts.

Mako let out a low whistle. "This place is a dump."

Korra nodded in agreement.

"We should probably split up," Mako said, sounding unenthusiastic about it. "We'd cover more ground that way."

Korra nodded. "Probably. And lighten up, cool guy. We've both got radios; if something happens we'll be in contact."

"That's not wholly reassuring, but thanks," Mako said. "I'll take Creepy Warehouse #1?"

"Sure. I'll take the Creepy House," Korra said, lightly. "Be in touch."

Mako nodded and pulled her in for a quick kiss before giving her a small smile and heading off in the direction of one of the abandoned warehouses. Korra watched him go before she ascended the stairs and tried the door. It was bolted, of course, but the Avatar simply kicked it down and made her way into the house.

The house seemed as if no one had lived there for decades. A thick layer of dust and grime covered every surface, but Korra could see the signs of occupancy that another person might have missed. In most areas, the dust was thick and heavy. But in some places, such as the sitting room in the front and the small table in the kitchen and the rooms upstairs, the dust layer was considerably thinner, as if someone had just brushed some, but not all, of it away.

"Weird," she muttered, venturing deeper into the house. All of the rooms seemed devoid of people, and other than dust covered furniture, Korra didn't find much worth reporting about. Evidently, though, Mako had more luck. Not fifteen minutes into their investigation, and his voice came through the radio, mixed in with static.

"Korra? Korra, are you there?"

The Avatar reached for her device and responded in the affirmative.

"You need to see this," Mako said, whispering. "Hurry!"

"I'll be on my way," Korra promised, rushing through the mansion and out the door, towards the warehouse Mako was investigating. She made it there in a matter of minutes. Mako's tone over the radio had implied that it was something strange, but Korra wasn't prepared for what she saw. The interior of the creepy warehouse was utterly devoid of goods. The only thing worth noting was a vat of some wispy, fog-like substance, placed at the far end of the warehouse and connected to some sort of machinery. A pipeline ran from the vat, twisting its way around the walls of the warehouse. From where Korra and Mako were standing, near the entrance, it was a considerable distance to the vat, maybe the length of half a dozen satomobiles arranged end to end. The piping that surrounded the whole place had to have been longer than that. It snaked about the whole warehouse and every inch of the clear, glass tubing was filled with the same fog-like substance that glowed and pulsed, shifting about within the piping as if writhing in pain.

"It took me a good ten minutes to just break the lock," Mako admitted. "But I'm starting to see why it was so hard to break. What is this?"

"No idea," Korra replied, inching closer to a section of piping that was about eye-level and not too far from them. Hesitantly, she reached out and touched the glass and instantly, the fog inside reacted. It's color and intensity changed and Korra hurriedly moved away.

"That's weird," Mako said. "It didn't do that before."

"No?" Korra asked, feeling her heartbeat quicken for some unknown reason.

Mako touched the glass and nothing happened. "See? When I do that, nothing happens."

"Strange."

Korra reached out again and pressed her palm against the glass. This time, the fog didn't change color or react. Instead, for one split second, the physical world melted away and she was standing in the spirit world, at the top of a large pit. When she removed her hand from the glass, the spirit world faded and she was back in the warehouse.

"Korra," Mako said worriedly, eyeing the piping around them. "What just happened?"

"I...I can't explain it," she said, helplessly. "I have no idea."

"The glass is cracking," the firebender noted, glancing at a hairline fracture in the piping.

"Did I do that?" Korra wondered.

"No," Mako replied. "But it definitely wasn't there before."

Korra touched the glass again and the warehouse dissolved into the spirit world once more. The Avatar caught a flash of a spirit before she was back in the warehouse, with Mako holding her hand and staying close to her.

"I don't think you should touch it," he advised. "The crack is growing."

"But I saw something," Korra said. "I need to know what it is."

"But that thing in there is alive somehow," Mako said, eyeing the piping dubiously. "It's spreading."

"I'll be quick," Korra promised. For the third time, the warehouse disappeared and Korra found herself in the spirit world. The pit she was standing by was covered by Vaatu's shadow and Raava towered over her. Both of them spoke in voices she couldn't understand, but it was evident they were fighting. Vaatu's tendrils coiled around Raava and they both came crashing down. Korra barely avoided becoming an avatar pancake. She hit the ground and rolled just as Raava lashed out and pushed Vaatu away from her, advancing and pushing Korra (whether knowingly or unknowingly, the Avatar couldn't say) closer to the pit. Korra watched them for a minute before she felt a pair of eyes on her and looked down into the pit to find an eerie face gazing back at her. She took a step back, but something like mist bubbled over the edge of the pit and pooled at her feet. Where the mist met her, it turned a violent purple and coiled around her, dragging her towards the put. Korra opened her mouth in a soundless scream, but Raava didn't hear her. The mist-like substance wrapped around her and pulled her closer and closer to the edge. The more she fought against it, the weaker she seemed. Just as she was an inch from falling over the edge, the spirit world faded away and she found herself back in the warehouse with Mako looking very afraid.

"What happened?" She croaked, feeling as if she'd really encountered Raava and Vaatu and that strange spirit just moments before.

"The glass," Mako said, looking nervous. "It's all cracked."

Korra glanced around, wide-eyed. Every inch of pipeline now sported cracks and fractures. Not a single piece had been spared.

"Is this some sort of spirit that has a grudge against the Avatar?" Mako wondered. "Or a trap, or…"

He never found out. As his words petered off, the unmistakable sound of crackling glass filled the air. For a heartbeat, the room was silent and then the piping burst, sending glass debris everywhere.

"Run," Mako cried, pulling Korra along behind him. "Maybe we can outrun it."

"Up there," she shouted over the sound of whooshing air. "If we can make it up the set of stairs, maybe there's a room with a window or something we can climb out of."

Mako nodded and made a beeline for the staircase. Korra followed, but when the substance pooled around her, it seemed to tug her backwards. She was just about to deliver a well aimed jet of fire when Mako stopped her.

"Don't! That thing might be flammable."

Korra opted for airbending, but it had little effect. The substance coiled around her feet and tugged at her with such force, she fell face-first. Mako caught her before she could hit the ground and pulled her to safety. He looked like he wanted to ask if she was okay, but Korra just grabbed him and pressed forward.

"Don't stop running," she commanded, making a beeline for the far end of the warehouse. "The wall there looks thin. We should be able to break it down."

Mako nodded, casting a glance at the strange substance rolling in waves towards them. They had several hundred yards to run before they reached the wall. If they could just make it…

Mako skidded to a halt as Korra stopped.

"Why'd you stop?" He demanded.

The Avatar looked around wildly. "It's everywhere," Korra cried, searching for an exit as the substance coalesced around them. There weren't any to be found. Mako pressed closer to Korra, coughing as the substance filled the air.

"What is this thing?" He demanded, trying his best not to breathe it in. Beside him, Korra was also doing the same. "I can't see and it's getting hard to breathe."

"I don't know," was Korra's response. She doubled over, coughing. "Whatever it is, don't let it touch you."

"Then let's keep moving," Mako suggested, pointing at the far end of the warehouse.

Korra took a step forward...and then promptly tripped again. This time, it was a wire. For a fraction of a second, everything paused. Korra wasn't sure if it was reflexes, adrenaline, or her abilities as the avatar, but in that fraction of a second, she saw everything. The wire running the length of the room, connected to canisters hidden artfully in the ceiling above them. The greenish substance slowly oozing out from the canisters and how each canister was placed in such a way that whatever was ejected would hit her and Mako. Her heart raced. The vat at the far end of the room rumbled loudly.

"Mako!" Korra cried.

The firebender whirled around to find the Avatar glancing at him wide-eyed and worried and Mako knew they'd wandered into a trap.

He dove for Korra just as the canisters ejected their gas and enveloped them in a hazy-greenish fog.


	17. Chapter 16

_**A/N: **Whew! This one took a long time to write, but quite honestly, there's a LOT going on and a lot of things come to light. We thank you again for sticking with us, as always, and... we also apologize in advance for any feels this chapter might cause. Reviews and comments are always welcome! We're always happy to hear from you!_

* * *

When his teammates dropped the file with Mizu's name into the pile of unsolved cases, Han knew they'd never look into it again. Why should they? Mizu was dead, and she had no family. The hospital had already been notified and they'd just hire someone else to do her job. Soon, she'd just be another memory; another name in the long list of those who'd gone missing and ended up dead.

But Han wasn't just a cop; he was an Assassin, and Assassins didn't believe in coincidences. There was always more to the story; more than what usually met the eye. So he'd decided to take a look himself. Sagging into his chair with Mizu's file in his hands, he flipped through the pages to look for anything peculiar.

At first glance, her little journal didn't reveal anything different. As weird as it was for him, Han endured reading through all her little notes to Amon. There was a particularly nasty one that reviewed his defeat at Korra's hands as utter nonsense, and that he must've had concrete reasons for hiding who he truly was from all of them.

"I can't believe this woman would make excuses for someone like him," Han thought to himself. But then he also wondered about whether or not he should really be surprised. Amon had amassed quite a following five years ago.

There was a pitiable note which he inferred she'd written after finding out about his death, which gave the Avatar a scathing telling to, as it were.

"Almost looks like hate mail," Han sighed as he slumped into the chair a little bit more, "and all for just doing her job."

She seemed to have lay low for six months, making a snide remark or two about the Avatar's involvement with the council as she longingly wished for Amon's return, knowing he'd have set things right.

"I'm no expert, lady, but the Assassins sure were glad that Amon had been taken care of," he muttered.

Then he read something that finally piqued his interest.

_The Avatar has opened the portals to the Spirit World, and a mysterious man contacted me and a few other Equalists to meet up at some old warehouse… He seems to have some plans about using something in the Spirit World to defeat her. I'm intrigued._

Han was suddenly wide awake, flipping through the next few pages for notes just like the one he'd just finished reading.

_The Avatar has been injured severely, it seems. The Boss seems to think that we should still lay low. Going through the portals seems like a bad idea, especially since both are controlled by the Avatar's allies. I don't know how, but the woman has managed to make some fast friends in the eighteen months she'd started travelling._

Han wasn't surprised by this, but whoever this Boss was, he seemed like a fishy character. There seemed to be a lull in her activities with this strange group for a long time, and all he found were notes about how much she loved Noatak and how much she wished he were still alive so she could let him know how she felt about him.

"UGH! I really wish I didn't have to read through all this," Han groused. "Just one clue, lady. One clue is all I need to connect you to what's going on here."

After sifting through three years' worth of useless love notes, he came across something that snapped him out of his boredom.

_The Boss seemed really happy that the Avatar opened a new portal to the Spirit World in the City. He thought it was quite serendipitous, exulting that the Avatar was doing his job for him without even knowing it. I overheard him talking to two other people about it. I don't know what he's after, but if he's willing to go into the Spirit World to find it, it must be really big._

Han nearly dropped the journal as it hit him like a jolt of lightning. This Boss character was clearly looking for the relics. So her attack on Korra _was _related to that strange group's activities.

_And I don't know why, but he keeps making us use the sewers to get to our meeting spots. It's disgusting! What's worse is that he's told the stinking Triads about them, too! This was OUR network! OUR idea, Amon! How dare he involve these low lives and tell them our secrets? How are so many of our brothers and sisters agreeing to this?_

Han frowned. What tunnels was she referring to? Any tunnels the Equalists had been using five years ago had been searched by the Police after Amon's defeat and they'd even been monitored for quite some time to fish any remnant Amon supporters out. How could they possibly be using those tunnels now?

"I've got to get in touch with Tonraq," he decided as he headed for the Chief's office to find out where he was.

* * *

Bumi always enjoyed playing with his nieces and nephews whenever he got the chance. Especially if it was after a long trip. While Jinora was still fond of him, he'd realized not too long ago that she was too big to be carried around on his shoulders these days. Meelo and Rohan still took advantage of this, though, and he was only too happy to oblige them.

That is exactly how Han found the three of them when he stepped off the ferry and into the Island. He'd heard of the retired Commander's exploits with the United Forces, but he'd known for a while that Aang's oldest son was a bit… eccentric.

"Excuse me?" He called out to get their attention, but regretted it immediately.

Bumi let out a roar and ran at him with surprising speed, and tackled him to the ground as the two boys screamed at their uncle to finish him off.

"Now, now, kids!" Bumi interjected. "It's not right for us to finish intruders off before they can explain themselves! Let's take him inside and give him a proper welcome!"

"WAIT! Listen, I'm not an intruder, alright? I'm just here to see-"

"Very convenient of you to come right in the middle of our game of hide and shriek, _intruder,_" Bumi replied with emphasis on the last word.

"Listen to me! Chief Lin told me that Tonraq would be here, so-"

"HUSH!" Bumi cut him off. "We're taking you inside for an interrogation."

"Look," Han tried again, "I don't want any trouble. Just take me to see Tonraq, and I'll be on my way."

"Han?" They heard a third voice cut in.

"Get this crazy man away from me!" Han yelled.

"Put him down, Bumi," Tonraq said, his shoulders shaking with the laughter he was trying so hard to contain.

"You sure?" Bumi asked the waterbender.

"Yes, I'm sure," Tonraq assured him.

"You're lucky he's vouching for you," Bumi warned as he put him down and walked away.

"Has he always been this insane?" Han asked Tonraq once Bumi was out of earshot.

"You get used to it," Tonraq chuckled. "What brings you here?"

"This," Han said as he handed him Mizu's journal. "Just read it. She's connected to the people who're looking for the relics. That's why she wanted Korra gone."

Tonraq sifted through Mizu's notes and winced as he read through her notes to Amon.

"I know," Han shrugged. "Just get through it."

When Tonraq read her note about the tunnels, his eyes widened. Hadn't he just seen the kids discuss it this morning?

"I know where part of these tunnels are," he told Han. "Let's look there."

* * *

Tonraq's vantage point didn't give too much away about the cluster of warehouses that the tunnels had led them to. They seemed empty, and devoid of any activity. He even considered that they might've been wrong about the tunnels.

"Han, tell me what you see," Tonraq said into the mouthpiece of the radio he was carrying.

"Not much here, but I really think we should go look at the place," Han replied.

"Alright. You take the warehouses to the right, I'll look at the ones on the left," the waterbender said as his eyes scanned the area once again.

Han replied in the affirmative so Tonraq shot a zipline towards the rooftop he wanted to land on, while Han went the other way to check the other warehouse for clues.

Just as he landed on the rooftop, however, the warehouse he wanted to investigate exploded in a plume of green gas that swirled up into the sky, and Tonraq was almost blown off the rooftop from the force of it. What he saw when he got up seemed like it was straight from his nightmares.

A pained face manifested itself in the fog, and it looked like it was screaming to break away and free itself, but try as it might, it couldn't. Tonraq watched in horror as the fog slowly started to clear out, taking the pained face with it, and making him realize that two people wouldn't be enough to take on whatever was in there.

He turned back and saw Han waiting for him back where they'd started. And from the look on his face, he wasn't the only one who'd seen the face in the fog.

"Get to the bureau," Tonraq ordered., "and tell them we need to stake this place out as quickly as possible. I'll wait further ahead and check who's coming in and out of this place. Go!"

Han simply nodded and zipped his way to the inconspicuous inn they called their den. He only hoped they wouldn't be too late.

* * *

Mako woke to voices. Groaning, he hoisted himself up and dusted himself off, coughing as the hazy gas-like substance swirled around him. He and Korra had most certainly wandered into a trap, but as far as traps went, Mako felt it wasn't a very good one...at least until the fog cleared. With all the fog cloaking the place, it was hard to see much of anything, but Mako caught sight of a silhouette peeking through the hazy gas. He was hoping it was Korra, but the profile of the silhouette suggested otherwise.

"Korra?" He called, glancing around. She didn't answer. The figure shrouded in fog, however, did.

"She won't come," He promised.

Mako froze. He knew that voice well. It had haunted his dreams for a while, but he'd always assumed that his nightmares would never come true.

"How are you here?" Mako demanded. "You...you died."

"Is that what they said?"

Even after all these years, Amon's laugh was just as eerie.

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

Mako didn't reply, but watched Amon warily. He wasn't sure how or when he'd wandered in, but he knew he wasn't letting Amon get out.

"Why did you come back?" Mako demanded.

"That's none of your concern," Amon replied, taking a single step forward. Mako got into fighting stance, but Amon just smiled and shook his head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," He said. The fog behind him parted to reveal two more figures. Mako's heart crawled up into his throat as he found himself face to face with Unalaq and Zaheer.

Mako wanted to believe this was all a dream (after all, Unalaq had essentially died after Harmonic Convergence) but Zaheer's airbending knocked him off balance and Mako knew that dream or not, it all felt very real.

"Stand down," Zaheer ordered. "Or the girl goes."

At first, Mako hadn't the faintest idea what Zaheer was talking about, but then the fog shifted again and swirled around him and he caught a glimpse of Korra lying unconscious at their feet.

Mako gaped. It felt like seconds had passed, maybe minutes at most, since the canisters had fired and in that time, there was no chance anyone could have duelled Korra. And there was certainly no chance she'd go down without a fight.

"Let her go." Mako demanded.

"Wouldn't you love that?" Zaheer retorted, smirking.

Amon motioned for Zaheer to stop talking and follow him and Zaheer and Unalaq made a move to go, but Mako was faster. He didn't care what threats any of them made; he wasn't letting them walk out with Korra. He took a fighting stance once more and attacked them all.

For one single, glorious moment, he was winning. His lightning caught Zaheer square in the chest and he collided with Unalaq who tumbled face-first onto the ground, causing Amon to stumble. Unfortunately, none of them stayed down for long...not that it really mattered to Mako. He had no qualms about doing whatever it took to take them down.

Unalaq was the first of the three to pick himself up and he glared at Mako, his eyes tinged red as if Vaatu was somehow still fused to him.

"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get," he promised, as Zaheer and Amon closed ranks around him. "I'm afraid this is the end."

Mako glanced at them, and at the fog swirling all around, obscuring his vision and making it hard for him to tell what was real and what wasn't. Whatever the fog was, it was doing more harm than good, but that did nothing to stop Mako. It was three against one and he had nothing to resist a bloodbender, a psychotic airbender, and someone who'd once called himself the a "dark avatar," but that didn't faze him. The odds were impossible. But, Mako just clenched his fists and felt the hum of electricity as lightning crackled within them.

He'd beaten impossible odds before and he'd do it again too.

* * *

Korra couldn't breathe. At least, it felt that way with the gas pressing down on her. It seemed as if it sucked the very air right out of her lungs and she wasn't sure how much longer she could stand breathing it in before she passed out or it killed her. Whichever came first. At this point, she wasn't quite sure. But, that wasn't her main concern. There was time enough for morbid thoughts later; what really mattered was finding Mako and high-tailing it out of the warehouse, but she wasn't having much luck with the fog choking the whole place. Groaning, Korra picked herself off the dirt-covered floor and stood up, glancing about for Mako.

When the canisters had ejected their contents, she'd done her best to shield them from the onslaught. But, everything that happened lately had taken a toll on her because her protective air bubble hadn't been big enough. She was unharmed, but Mako had been just outside the perimeter of the protective shield, and there was no telling what the gas was doing to him.

Given that they'd been so close before the gas had been released, it should have been easy to find the firebender, but Mako was nowhere in sight. Korra panicked and briefly wondered if anything had happened, but she put that morbid thought out of her mind and focused on looking for him. In a virtually empty warehouse, it should have been an easy feat, but the gas was affecting her. Korra felt sluggish and tired, as if whatever little energy she had was slowly being sapped away. But, she wasn't going to let something like that stop her from finding Mako. So, she shoved aside any nagging doubts she had and did her best to ignore the fatigue overcoming her and began the arduous task of looking for Mako in a warehouse with near zero visibility.

Thankfully, though, she didn't have to look for long. Five minutes into her search, she heard the familiar sound of firebending and caught flashes of amber not too far from her. The fog parted to reveal Mako, looking a bit frazzled, and Korra nearly tackled him in a hug, but stopped short when she noticed the lightning arcing between his fingers. Mako seemed to stare at her, not as if he was really seeing her, but as if he was seeing straight through her.

Korra opened her mouth to speak, but barely got a word in edgewise before Mako's lightning arced in her direction and hit her full force.

* * *

There were few things that Jinora appreciated more than Air Temple Island's vast library with all its tomes and scrolls that she'd always loved perusing. While its grandeur wasn't nearly as spectacular as Wan Shi Tong's library in the Spirit World, she was glad her father had done his best to amass as many manuscripts, scrolls, and books as he could for his daughter's sake and for their own preservation. Some of them were priceless relics that had survived not only Sozin's massacre, but also thousands of years of human and spirit history.

On this occasion, however, Jinora's mind was elsewhere, and she wanted nothing more than to find the information she needed as quickly as possible and relay it to Korra. Opal had decided to help her out since there wasn't much else to do that took priority over this.

"Any idea which title we're looking for?" Opal asked her.

"I read it a long time ago," Jinora admitted, "so I don't exactly remember."

"You've been looking for weeks!" Opal groused. "Is it possible someone might've borrowed it?"

"No," Jinora replied, "because it's not a very well known book."

"So? You still read it!" Opal countered.

"I read everything!" Jinora chuckled.

"Even this?" Opal smirked as she flashed a book with a highly suggestive cover.

"_Especially _that," Jinora winked, which earned her a swat to her head with said book.

With a snicker, Opal tucked it into one of the pockets of her suit and picked up another one that was titled _Tales of the Convergence._

"Wait," Jinora said as she looked at the cover which had a brilliant illustration of a powerful warrior wearing a rare suit of armor and wielding a sword with uncommon ease. She snatched the book from Opal's hands, leafing through the pages. Her grin only grew wider as she skimmed the contents. "This is it!"

"_This _is the book we've been looking for?" Opal asked her.

"Yes!" Jinora replied. "Come on!"

* * *

She hit the wall hard enough to have the wind knocked out of her. The last thing Korra needed was another injury on top of everything that had happened lately, but given the way things were going, Korra figured it was inevitable at this point. She had found Mako, but it was readily apparent that something was wrong.

"What's going on?" Korra demanded, rolling as Mako's flames fanned out in her direction. "What are you doing?"

Mako's response was a well aimed jet of fire in her direction. Korra tucked into a roll and came up standing behind him, but Mako seemed to anticipate her moves and swiftly knocked her off her feet.

"Nice try," he said. "But I'm not letting you bloodbend me again."

"Again?" She echoed, dodging as more flames licked towards her. "What are you talking about?"

Mako never answered, but Korra had an idea of what was coming. She met his flames with water and easily doused them. One, however, came a little too close for comfort. Korra narrowly avoided being burned.

Normally, Mako was a very careful bender who avoided harming people when he could. But, he seemed peeved that his fire had just missed Korra.

"What are you doing?" Korra repeated.

Korra wasn't sure what Mako heard because his reply didn't match the question she'd posed.

"No," He said, adamantly, gazing at her in that weird way again, as if she was someone else entirely. "You won't get away with this. If Korra can't stop you, I will."

Korra shoved a fiery tendril away with her waterbending.

"Mako, stop. I _am_ Korra."

Her response was more lightning.

Under normal circumstances, Korra would have had no problem taking Mako down. But she was hesitant to do so now, given his strange behavior. Mako kept bending at her and saying things that made little sense. It was almost as if he was talking to someone other than her, but Korra was positive no one else was in the room.

"Mako, stop. There's no one here but me."

"Are you so sure?"

Two figures materialized behind Mako and if Korra had been the type prone to theatrics, she'd have probably fainted. Amon and Unalaq stared back at her, the latter smiling evilly.

Korra took a step back, wary, and watching their every move.

"You died," she said, addressing her uncle and the former head of the Equalist movement.

"Perhaps," Unalaq responded, cryptically. "Perhaps not."

His smile widened and for a brief moment, it was not his face Korra saw, but the face of a different man, one much older and seemingly ageless all at once. She blinked and Unalaq's face returned to normal.

"What are you?" She demanded. Neither offered a response, so she settled for a different question.

"What did you do to Mako?"

"We can't take all the credit for this," Amon said in a voice not his own, gesturing around vaguely. Korra wasn't sure if he was referring to the fog or whatever had happened to Mako.

"You'll have to kill him, you know?" A third voice said.

Korra whirled around to find Zaheer leaning casually against something obscured by the fog. Korra idly wondered if the fog was affecting him too because his voice was much different and his face kept flickering, his features hazy and indistinct, as if a spirit like Koh was slowly peeling off his face and replacing it with another's.

"Why would I do that?" She demanded, glaring at him.

"Because he thinks you're us," the airbender replied, .

"You're not even really here," Korra spat.

"Aren't we?"

The Avatar didn't have an answer to that. Logically, she was pretty sure there was no way her old foes were here; Zaheer was still very much locked up and her uncle and Amon had perished. But, even if they weren't really there, it still didn't explain why Mako was bending at her as if he really did want to take her out or why he was acting so strange.

"So," Unalaq wondered, grinning at her eerily as his features flickered. "How will you kill the poor boy?"

"You could draw all the air out of his lungs," Zaheer offered, still using a voice not quite his own. "Or suffocate him."

"Bloodbending wouldn't be too bad of a way to go either," Amon suggested. "Or you could always impale him with an ice dagger."

"I vote using the Avatar State," Unalaq said. "That way it'll be slow and painful."

"Shut up!" Korra ordered.

"Of course, if you don't want to kill him, we could always do the job for you," Zaheer offered.

Korra glared at them all murderously. "Don't you dare touch him."

"Then kill him before he kills you." Amon instructed.

"I am not listening to you." Korra retorted, bending three projectiles at each of them. Miraculously, all three disappeared.

Korra let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Just an illusion," she muttered to herself, trying to calm her racing heart. "They were never really here."

But regardless of whether or not they had been there, Mako was still looking at her like she was Amon, Unalaq and Zaheer all rolled into one and like he really wanted to take her out.

The last thing Korra wanted was to fight Mako. It wasn't that she was incapable of holding her own, or anything like that. But, this wasn't just some friendly sparring session. Whatever was in the gas was affecting them. Maybe what Zaheer said was true and Mako really was seeing things and unintentionally fighting her. Maybe something had suddenly clouded his judgement and turned him against her. Korra couldn't say. But fighting him was really something Korra wanted to avoid. This gas seemed to be sapping all her energy and it was become increasingly difficult to stay conscious. She wasn't sure she wanted to or even could fight Mako and fight against the gas all at once.

Fortunately for her, she didn't have to prioritize which one to do. Mako decided for her while she was busy analyzing her options and tackled her to the ground.

"This is for Korra," He said, thrusting one flame-encased hand at her. Korra shoved him off and met his strike with water.

"I _am_ Korra," She said, trying to reason with him. "Snap out of it."

Mako only came at her again. Korra avoided him, but only because she tripped over another wire, artfully concealed.

Nothing ejected from above, which she was grateful for. But it didn't do anything to stop or slow down Mako.

"We need to get out of here," Korra said, parrying Mako's attacks. "Are you…?"

"You're not leaving here," Mako said, cutting her off and glaring at her. "I won't let you."

"Mako…"

"Let Korra go."

"I'm right here."

"I won't ask again. Let her go."

Korra braced herself against a nearby wall, but not for Mako's attack. The gas was slowly but surely affecting her and it was only a matter of time before she couldn't fight it. She needed to get out now and Mako was coming whether he liked it or not. She had a plan in mind, but it was one she liked less and less by the second. But time was running out and there were few options left.

"I'm sorry," she said, apologizing in advance and looking miserable as Mako charged towards her.

She let Raava's energy course through her for a split second, just long enough to boost her airbending. Just as Mako's flaming fist arced towards her, she shoved her arms in front of her, palms out, and sent a strong gust of wind at him, flattening him against a wall and knocking him out. She winced at the _thud_ she heard as his body slumped to the floor, but she knew it was their only way out. She was just about to search for an exit, when the fog around them dispersed suddenly. It swirled about for a minute or two before coalescing into something that looked vaguely like a face. Korra waited with bated breath for something to happen. Nothing did. The face's features solidified and became more distinct and Korra recognized the face as the one she'd seen in her dream or vision (whatever it was) with Amon, Unalaq, and Zaheer. Other than that, however, there were no identifying features, nothing that really stood out and offered Korra any clues as to who or what this was.

The face in the fog opened his mouth and uttered just one word.

"Raava."

Then, moaning as if in pain, it disappeared.

Korra didn't know what to make of that, but she didn't waste time trying to find out. She hauled Mako to the nearest wall she could find and, in true to form, smashed part of it down, before hurrying out of the warehouse and disappearing into the inky darkness of the night.

* * *

Tonraq could've sworn he'd been waiting for hours. His back hurt and his legs were starting to cramp and it felt as if he'd been waiting endlessly, although in reality, it had only been a half hour. So far, not a single person had wandered out of the warehouse, but Tonraq hadn't given up staking out the place.

"I _have _to find out who else knows about this place!" He thought to himself as he balanced himself, once again, on a thick tree branch.

The longer he waited, the more his mind drifted back to what he'd seen back at the warehouse. Whatever that fog was, it wasn't normal. It had a face like nothing he'd ever seen on a human before. And if the people who were looking for the relics could control it, then it didn't bode well for the Assassins.

"Or Korra," he thought, grimly. "I just hope she doesn't get too involved in this."

He let out a hollow laugh, knowing full well that if Korra had any say in the matter, and he knew she would, he'd have to deal with her heading into this whole situation with her eyes wide open, aware of all the risks and still deciding to do it anyway.

A shrill whistle suddenly pierced the air, shocking him out of his train of thought and worrying him even more. He knew that whistle well.

"No! No, no, no!" He prayed to the spirits themselves, hoping against hope that he hadn't heard his daughter's call for Naga. But when he saw the massive creature leap towards where Korra stood, he let out a defeated sigh. It didn't seem like luck was on his side, so Tonraq gave up any hope of finding a lead and clambered down to greet his daughter.

Even though night had fallen, and the moon offered only a small amount of light, Tonraq was easily able to make out his daughter's profile as she and Naga drew nearer. What caught his attention,though, were the scratches and bruises on his daughter's arms. He frowned, vowing to get whoever it was who had been unfortunate enough to inflict them upon her. And when he noticed who she was carrying, he was shocked to say the least. Looking at how weary she seemed, he abandoned the thought of sticking around a bit longer, and chose to help her instead.

"Korra, what happened?" He asked her as soon as he stepped into view.

"Dad?" Korra paused, giving him a once over and frowning as she realized he was in Assassin gear. "What're you doing here?"

"We found a lead," Tonraq replied. "One of our initiates got his hands on Mizu's journal. She mentioned tunnels and I just remembered you kids discussing it earlier."

Korra scrutinized him again. "That's not the only reason, is it?"

"No," Tonraq admitted, "but Mako looks like he needs medical attention. Let's get back to the Island. I'll explain everything."

Korra sighed and clambered onto Naga's saddle. "Hop on. And tell me everything."

They rode out of the place in a flash and Korra waited with a patience very unlike herself to hear what Tonraq had to say.

"I guess I should start with why I'm in the City," Tonraq began. "We Assassins have a mission. One almost as old as time itself. And that's protecting a few valuable, powerful artifacts. They're relics that have been lost and scattered across the Spirit World for thousands of years."

Korra gave him a curt nod, indicating that she was listening.

"We never really had to worry about them too much because there was no direct way into the Spirit World then. Anyone wanting to steal them would've had to meditate in, and only a select few had ever managed it. And the ones who did were always dealt with. At least, until… you opened the portals."

Korra shot him an annoyed glare as if to challenge him into contradicting her decision.

"I'm sure you had your reasons, Korra," Tonraq assured her, which softened her attitude slightly. "But Rumi came to the cottage one night," Tonraq continued, "and told us that our enemies were close to finding one of them through the portal in the City."

Korra suddenly straightened up and looked at him. "So… so _I _made this possible?" She asked.

Tonraq shook his head. "You couldn't have known. They've been at it for millennia. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"That's why you came to the City," Korra recalled. "To stop them."

"Yes," Tonraq admitted. "That's why I came."

"What does Mizu have anything to do with it?" Korra demanded.

"She was working with someone who knew about the relics. It was in her journal."

"Tell me more about these relics, then," Korra said emphatically as they rounded a corner and Naga prepared herself for a jump into Yue Bay.

"All I know," Tonraq replied as he helped Korra create an air bubble around them, "is that they're ancient, and whoever gets a hold of them will be very powerful. _Too_ powerful to defeat."

"It can't be any worse than Vaatu," Korra guessed.

Tonraq, however, looked grim. He had no idea how they'd fare against the threat looming on the horizon, but for Korra's sake (and all of theirs) he hoped she was right.


	18. Chapter 17

_**A/N: **Lots of reveals in this chapter. Thanks again for sticking with us through these sporadic updates. We've been trying to create a buffer to decrease delays, but... when you live in different time zones, collaboration becomes a challenging task. Fortunately for us, we've had good readers so far, and we hope to keep it that way. Plot wise, this is an interesting spot in the story. We finally get to the source of the legend that has been popping up all over this story. The question is, will this give Korra answers or give her more riddles to solve? What will happen to Mako? And how do the Assassins actually fit into this? Does Rumi know more than she's letting on? Read on and find out!_

* * *

As an Assassin, Rumi had learned to appreciate an active lifestyle. Being on the go, not knowing where that next mission would take her had always excited her. And the thrill of an investigation had always intrigued her in ways she could never have imagined in her old life.

She frowned as she thought about it, sitting in the City's massive park all by herself across from the Avatar's statue. The girl was younger than her, and had accomplished so much already. Sometimes she wondered if she'd have done it all had she not been born into the title. From what Tonraq had mentioned, she felt like Korra absolutely would.

But sitting there idly reminded her of why she was there. The man she once called father had tried to kill her. And while life in the Creed did involve injuries, the Bureau Leader here was of the paranoid sort. He would rather let her idle away her time than help with even the easiest of missions despite the fact that she felt completely fine.

The sound of children laughing snapped her out of her reverie, and she watched them play without a care in the world. They were chasing each other, laughing gleefully. She sighed as she noticed one little girl in particular. She seemed about ten years old. With a pang of guilt, she remembered her own daughter. What would she be like? Would she have turned out kind and caring like Rei? She'd never know.

"I wasn't meant to know," she told herself firmly. "I wouldn't have been able to take care of her. Not well, at least."

She wondered what Rei would've thought of it all… or if he'd have approved of giving their child up in the first place.

But Rumi was quick to block that train of thought. It wasn't any good pondering such things. If Rei had been alive, they'd have been a family and their daughter wouldn't have been put up for would've been different.

As a general rule, Rumi did her best to keep her past buried and avoided reminiscing as often as she could. Still, there were times when she'd look back at her life and wonder whether making different choices would've led her somewhere happier. Sometimes, she wished she'd met Rei after she'd found a life for herself with the Assassins. She wouldn't have had to worry about her parents' approval then. They'd have been free to live their own lives, start a family, have everything they'd dreamed of.

"Maybe it wasn't meant to be" she muttered to herself. "I've got a different life now. I'm sure my daughter is better off without me."

Senna would've disagreed with her, there. She would've maintained that it was never too late for forgiveness and fresh starts. She smiled as she thought about the woman she'd come to regard as an older sister. She'd taken her in when no one else would and helped her when most people wouldn't have even bothered. Thinking of Senna reminded Rumi of how little she'd visited her since that night. Her own injuries had prevented her from doing much of anything, but now that she was up on her feet again, she was itching for something to do, especially since she wasn't being given any assignments. She hadn't even bothered checking up on Senna, but that was changing now, she decided. She stood up, brushing the grass and dirt from her clothes and turned to leave the park, but stopped when a small red, ball rolled to a stop at her feet. The same little girl she'd watched before, darted over and snatched it up, smiling politely as Rumi handed it to her.

"Thank you," she said, swiping a hand through her matted curls. Rumi couldn't seem to find her voice, so she just nodded and watched as the little girl scurried back to her friends.

It was another five minutes before she composed herself and set off for Air Temple Island for a visit that was long overdue.

* * *

Korra was worried.

Not only had she and Mako seen things that hadn't actually been there, they'd also felt it. It was a visceral presence in their heads, and it had almost goaded her into hurting him. Worse still, Mako was still under its spell, muttering incoherently about how it should've been him, and not his parents or Korra. Korra wasn't sure about the context of Mako's ramblings, but she had a hunch he was seeing her or his parents, who had either died or been tortured.

"Stay with me," she pleaded as she looked at him, and then at the docks that indicated they were almost at the Island. "I won't let it take you from me."

She had never been this unnerved since… well, since five years ago when Zaheer had poisoned her. Her hands shook at the very memory of it, so she immediately cast it aside. Mako needed her attention more.

But her attention wavered slightly as she remembered the pained face in the fog. There was no mistaking the fact that it had recognized Raava, whatever it might have been. What was it, exactly? A spirit? Some sort of hallucination in that haze of a fog like everything else? She couldn't tell.

"He'll be fine, Korra," Tonraq assured her, breaking her train of thought. "We'll find a way to help him."

"It's my fault," Korra replied, her voice shaking. "If I hadn't blacked out because of those broken visions I keep having, I could've shielded us both."

"Korra, calm down," Tonraq said. "You did all you could. And I'm sure Mako wouldn't want you to blame yourself. We'll get him all the help we can."

"I hope so," Korra murmured as Naga bounded up the pathway towards the main complex and headed straight for the front door. Luckily, Opal and Jinora were waiting for her when she got there.

Jinora looked excited for all of a minute, but once she and Opal saw Mako, they became somber. Opal went to fetch Katara and Kya straight away.

"What happened to Mako?" Jinora wondered, glancing worriedly at Tonraq and Korra.

"We'll explain later." Korra promised.

"Right now, we need to get Mako to Katara and Kya," Tonraq said, as Korra lifted Mako off the saddle and into her arms.

"Of course," Jinora replied. "And Korra, when you get a chance, we need to talk to all of you. I think we found something you'll want to hear about. It's about that legend."

"Let's all meet up in the healing room, then," Korra replied. "That way, you can tell us everything and Katara and Kya can help Mako."

Jinora nodded and opened her mouth to speak, but Korra had already taken off down the corridor and Jinora wasn't surprised to notice that Korra didn't wait for a reply. She wasted no time in getting Mako to the designated room they'd unofficially made the healing chamber.

Thankfully, Katara's room wasn't located in a wing too far from the healing chamber. Kya was only a few doors down, so both were easy to track down. As soon as Mako was settled in his temporary room, Korra had bolted. Before Tonraq could even call out to her and suggest giving the two waterbenders a briefing of the events, Korra had already sprinted down the wing where Katara and Kya had been put up, and rapped on her old master's door insistently.

"I'm sorry, Katara," Korra began as soon as her mentor opened the door. "But Mako needs your help right away!"

Katara must have just woken up, but she padded to her daughter's door, knocked three times, and then set off for the healing chamber. Korra felt a little guilty as she followed and a frazzled Kya joined them, but she chose not to be fazed by it at the moment. There were more important things to focus on.

The interior of the healing chamber was aglow with the soft amber light of lamps, when Korra and the two waterbenders entered. Tonraq had taken it upon himself to light them and set aside fresh supplies for Katara and Kya, in the event that they needed them. It wasn't much, just hand towels, cloths, and bandages, but Korra appreciated it. While Tonraq gave the two masters a brief account of events, Korra decided to make herself useful and gently placed Mako in the healing pond, silently thanking the architects of the Temple who'd had the foresight to include such a pond fed by an underground spring.

Despite Korra's best efforts to hide how worried she was, Kya picked up on it. She caught Korra glancing worriedly at Mako more than once and placed an arm around her shoulder in an effort to comfort her.

"Don't worry. We'll help him." She promised. Korra hoped so. It wasn't that she doubted their abilities, but none of them had any clue what was causing this. How could they heal Mako if they didn't know the what was causing him to act that way? Could they even heal him at all?

The minute the last thought crossed her mind, Korra grew angry with herself. There would be time enough for morbid thinking later. Right now, helping Mako was her main priority. She wasn't in any shape to be of much help (after all she'd been through in the last few hours, it was a miracle she was still standing at all), but Korra didn't care. She sat down to help them herself, though her own hands were still shaking from her encounter with the gas.

"Heal yourself first, Korra," Katara advised. "You look pretty beat up."

"It's nothing," Korra insisted as she tried to get a hold of Mako's chi paths, but for some reason, she just couldn't.

"You're in pain," Kya noted. "Please, Korra, we'll take care of Mako. You need to heal yourself."

Korra was about to protest, but the door to the chamber opened, revealing Jinora and the others. The last thing Korra wanted to do was engage in a lengthy discussion about some legend that had fallen to the bottom of her priority list, but Jinora seemed insistent that she hear it and Korra figured Jinora wouldn't have bothered if she felt it was unimportant. Still, though, she couldn't shake the feeling that she should be doing something other than just sitting around.

"Whatever's in Mako's system seems familiar," Katara noted, suddenly breaking Korra out of her reverie. "Whatever it is, it's more potent, more lethal."

"What is it?" Korra asked, trying very hard not to sound harsh.

"Some sort of toxin. It seems familiar, but... "

"Can you heal him?" Korra asked, sounding slightly more insistent than she would have liked.

"Korra," Tonraq intervened, "they're doing everything they can."

"We'll sedate him for now and see how long it'll take to wear off." Katara said in a tone that conveyed understanding. "I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, I believe Jinora wanted to speak to you?"

"Actually," Jinora replied, "I think you should all hear this. It's the story of Jian and Umikei in its original form."

Sighing, Korra turned to face Jinora. "How do we know it's the original?"

"Because this book," Opal replied as she fished it out of her pocket and handed it to Korra, "was written by a human who visited the spirit realm even before Avatar Wan ever did."

"Trial by Fire: The Journal of Tashi and Nima?" Korra asked with a quirked eyebrow. She'd perused these five years ago when she'd been bedridden. It was an account of the lives of two airbenders who had survived Sozin's massacre. An interesting read, but not what they were looking for.

"Oops! Wrong book!" Opal replied, smiling sheepishly, as she switched the book with another.

"Tales of the Convergence," Korra murmured, and something stirred in her as she looked at the portrait of a warrior clad in black armor etched onto the cover. "I've seen this woman before."

"That wouldn't surprise me," Jinora chimed in. "That's Jian, the warrior spirit."

Korra's eyes widened as she remembered the two names that kept cropping up in her visions: Jian and Umikei. She hesitantly picked up the book and examined the cover.

"This is a really old book."

"It is," Jinora nodded. "It was put together nearly twenty thousand years ago."

"How'd it stay in good condition?" Korra wondered as she flipped the book over and examined it. "Twenty thousands years is a long time."

"I think it came from one of the Air Temples," Jinora mentioned. "Airbenders were something of book hoarders; nearly all the Air Temples had vast libraries. But, I'm not sure which one actually housed this book. Maybe the Western Air Temple? That seemed to suffer the least amount of damage after Sozin's raids. It's possible the book was found there and then eventually brought here."

"The writing is still legible," Korra said, impressed. "Not too shabby."

"Berry dye, judging by the looks of it," Katara explained. "You would not believe how well some of those stain. The Kyoshi Warriors perfected an ink based off of it. Seems they weren't the first to discover that trick."

Korra flipped to the first page which had a dedication written in a neat script.

"_For my mother, Kia, who raised us all the best way she knew how without letting on what a legend she'd been before."_

The name struck a chord with Korra, but she couldn't place it, so she read on.

_My life had never been full of surprises. I lived with my family in a Lion Turtle City like others. We had enough food and water, which was a feat in and of itself considering how many siblings I had._

"The beginning is interesting, but what you're looking for comes much later," Jinora said, extracting the book from Korra's hands and flipping towards some pages closer to the center. "I don't know how accurate this is, but this is the most detailed version I found of this legend. All the other books mention it in passing, but this one gives a full account, almost as if the author had been there."

"Is that even possible?" Korra wondered.

"Maybe," Jinora said. "After all, the boundaries between our world and the spirit world didn't exactly exist. It's possible someone might have witnessed the events that later became this legend."

"True," Korra admitted. "But the likelihood of that happening seems slim."

"I thought so too, until I read this book."

Korra's curiosity was piqued. "Go on."

Jinora cleared her throat and read it out loud so everyone could hear.

_I guess the most interesting thing in my life happened a few months after my mother died. I had recently joined the Assassins, a group of fighters dedicated to aiding the Spirit of Light in her quest to protect this realm, led by a passionate leader Xin. The man had always treated me kindly, as if I was his own daughter and I'd trained under him for a few months until he fell seriously ill himself._

_On the day he died, he had summoned me to his deathbed, and gave me information that changed my life forever. He told me that he'd loved my mother, Kia, for years, and had designed this Creed of Assassins to protect her. I laughed, mainly because my mother had been a simple peasant woman who had led an equally simple life with her family._

_When I asked him what she could possibly have needed protection from, he smiled and handed me a slightly tattered book. It was a journal of sorts, written in my mother's hand. Xin told me that my mother had been a hero, a legend before she'd met my father and started a family, and that she had recorded her adventures in the book that was in my hand, and she'd entrusted it to him to give to one of her children when the time came. And then he passed away._

_When I read it at first, I couldn't believe person living these adventures couldn't have been my mother. She was never the adventurous type. But then I remembered how she'd never told us where she came from… only that she met our father and fell in love._

_I realized this story of hers had to be told, or the world would forget how heroic she'd once been, and everything she'd done to aid the Spirit of Light. This is my mother's story._

Jinora flipped the page and it shifted to a first person account taken directly from a woman named Kia.

_Living in a world with a traveller's heart and no resources is a curse. I'd lived my whole life in one place, dreaming of adventures I'd have across the realms. We'd been simple folk, my parents and I, and it was only by chance that I found myself in a maelstrom of events that swept me away on a journey I could never have imagined._

_It all started on the day the earth shook. In my eighteen years, I'd never experienced such a thing. Spirits were running scared and people were screaming about almighty spirits battling. A wiser woman would've stayed away, but I wanted to know who these spirits were and why they were battling, and so I headed towards the source of these tremors against my better judgment._

_As I plodded on, I sensed a shift in the planet's energy. It was unlike anything I'd noticed before. The sky had turned a bizarre violet, and the very air we breathed seemed to be crackling with energy. The tremors led me to a brilliant beam of yellow light, crackling and letting out sparks, as if it radiated the energy of a thousand suns, and once again, throwing caution to the wind, I walked right into it, not thinking about what that amount of energy would do to me._

_What I saw when I emerged from the other side, was nothing short of spectacular. Raava, the great Spirit of Light and Peace, battling Vaatu, the Spirit of Darkness and Chaos, as a giant spirit in shining, black armor lay crumpled on the floor, and a mysterious fog that was changing colors by the second, coiled around Vaatu. Under normal circumstances, anyone would have left the way they came. But something compelled me to move. I don't recall how or why but I'd made up my mind to help the warrior spirit. In retrospect, it was somewhat of a foolish decision. I could have been injured or killed, but perhaps luck was on my side. To this day, I don't know how I didn't get caught in their fight, but I won't digress. I was grateful for it, to say the least._

Korra was swept away into a vision she'd had a couple of weeks ago when Skoochy had told her about the names of Spirits the Triads had mentioned. Eerily enough, she felt as if she was there, once again, living the fight.

_The fog that coiled around Vaatu seemed alive, somehow, and it seemed to be struggling. The crumpled spirit somehow managed to get up and cut off the one tendril Vaatu had wrapped around the fog, freeing it from his clutches. In retaliation, Vaatu wrapped one of his tendrils around the warrior spirit. Darkness crept along the length of the tendril, turning all it touched an eerie purple color. Where it met the warrior spirit's armor, it hissed and crackled. From my place on the ground, I could see the warrior spirit struggling against him, but it was apparent she was weak. Vaatu did not have much trouble subduing her. Her giant frame sagged, then went rigid as purple energy coiled around her. For one terrifying moment, it seemed as if Vaatu would succeed in his plans, that he might actually corrupt her essence and turn her dark. But before Vaatu could exact his revenge, Raava took advantage of the distraction this had provided and absorbed him into herself, swallowing him in her own, shining light, and trapping him within her._

Once again, a vision of Raava finally overpowering Vaatu flashed before Korra's eyes, but it was gone before she could make much sense of it.

_One cannot describe the sensation of watching a spirit nearly die. I was no stranger to death; I'd seen my fair share of people and animals alike, pass, but watching Raava interact with the warrior spirit and the strange spirit of the fog was much like watching a someone stand at the deathbed of a beloved friend. Raava tried to help, but it seemed whatever Vaatu had done to them was irreversible. I saw them exchange a few words, as if reaching an agreement. And then, nothing but light. When it cleared, the warrior spirit was gone. In her place was a grotesque spider spirit. As for the fog, it coiled and undulated about in a newly formed pit, some distance away. Raava declared the spider spirit guardian of the pit and that seemed to be that. The spider spirit scuttled into a nearby alcove, as if she'd forgotten what a great spirit she'd once been and the spirit of the fog retreated to the depths of the pit. _

_Raava had more important work to do, such as cleaning up the various armor pieces scattered before her but to, my surprise, she turned and addressed me. It was a surreal moment, looking upon the Spirit of Light in all her glory. In all my years, I'd never imagined I'd be caught up in something as big as this. What could I possibly say to an all knowing spirit? She probably knew more about me than I knew about myself. She glided towards me with purpose, and seemed to be surveying me with a slight curiosity._

"_Who are you, human?" she finally asked me._

"_I- I'm Kia," I said when I finally found my voice._

"_What brought you here, Kia?"_

"_I followed the tremors, and… it led me here," I answered._

"_You actually walked through the spirit portal?"_

_I turned back and looked at the beam of light I'd walked through. In retrospect, I really should have run away. It looked like it could've killed me._

"_I did," I admitted sheepishly._

"_And yet, you survived," Raava said. I wondered if that was amusement in her voice or if she was marvelling at my stupidity._

_I simply shrugged, not knowing what to say._

"_Come with me," Raava said simply, and I followed. When the Spirit of Light herself asked, who was I to say no?_

_And so I followed her as she scattered the warrior spirit's armor and weapons all over the Spirit World so that no one would find them._

"_Would- would you mind if I asked you who those things belonged to?" I asked her_

"_They belonged to a spirit named Jian. You saw her. She was trying to help me save Umikei, the spirit of the fog, and fight Vaatu."_

"_That fog has a name?" I asked her._

"_He was much more than fog," Raava answered. "He was a spirit who could clear minds, and sense the future. It has been said that no truer a judge of character existed. Umikei had great power and Vaatu sought to use him for something far more sinister."_

"_But Vaatu's gone now," I said in a manner that was meant to assure her._

"_Only for the time being," Raava said, looking at me again with a curiosity I didn't understand. "Kia, I need someone to help me watch over this realm."_

"_And you mean to have me take up this mantle?" I asked, shocked._

"_I think you were meant to help me," Raava continued, unfazed. "I do not pretend to believe in signs, but you walked through that portal of your own volition, something very few people would do. I have long considered asking your kind for help, but not many are as fearless as you are. Few would dare venture into the Spirit world the way you have. I believe the spirits have sent you to me for a reason."_

"_But, I'm just a peasant! I just walked in here because I was crazy enough to follow a few tremors! I'm really not meant for such a task."_

"_And yet, you didn't go back when you saw what happened. You stayed," Raava said, as if that explained everything._

"_That doesn't make me fearless, it makes me crazy" I explained._

_Quite honestly, I'd never been the hero type. I was more of a wanderer who liked minding her own business. Clearly, Raava thought otherwise, and that scared me. _

"_You don't need to be a hero to do the right thing. If you really do have a life to go back to, then I won't stop you. But if you seek to know your realm and understand it, I can guide you."_

_I had to admit, it was a tempting offer for someone like me. I'd always wanted more out of life than taking care of a farm. And when Raava herself was offering me a chance to travel by her side, who was I to refuse?_

"_What would you have me do?" I asked her._

"_Come with me," she said and glided away as I followed."_

"What- what happened after that?" Korra asked Jinora.

"Well, according to this," Jinora said as she flipped a few pages, "she travelled with Raava for a few years and helped her keep the peace until she met someone and fell in love."

"She just… gave all that up?" Korra asked.

Jinora simply smiled. "She _really_ loved this person."

Korra quirked an eyebrow and wondered if she'd ever give up a life of adventure and responsibility for something as simple as a family, and she smiled as she realized she'd rather have both.

"Clearly, she started a family," Korra noted as she took the book from Jinora and scanned it.

"She did," Jinora nodded. "She had twelve kids. And one of them, Kioo, wrote about it, too, just a little bit later."

"_Twelve_ kids?" Korra echoed.

"Twelve," JInora confirmed, smiling a bit.

"Was she ever able to walk again?" Korra wondered.

Jinora stifled a laugh.

"But don't you see," the airbender said. "Kia witnessed history. Her account of what happened during Harmonic Convergence is the basis for the legend."

"And," Kya added. "It would seem we've met Jian."

"You have?" Korra asked, surprised.

"She did throw us into the Fog of Lost Souls. Judging by that book of hers, the other spirit, Umikei, became the fog."

Jinora nodded earnestly. "As far as I can tell, Vaatu wanted to use him for some sinister purpose. There was a big battle before Kia showed up, in which Vaatu overpowered Umikei and corrupted his essence and used him to trick Jian and overpowered her as well. When Raava intervened, Vaatu's energy had already corrupted Umikei and Jian was close to fading, so Raava confined Umikei to a pit and he became the Fog of Lost Souls. Jian's new form was the spider spirit who guarded the pit. Raava made sure they were together, even in the end."

"So they loved each other, then," Kya said, grinning. "How romantic."

"It seems they still shared that bond," Jinora said. "But, they have no idea who they really are. A few pages later, Kia explains that Raava wasn't able to give them much other than their new forms and purposes. She made it seem like they'd lost all recollection of who they were save for their desire to be close to one another."

"That would explain their personality change," Kya said, glancing at Korra. "From the tales I've heard, Jian and Umikei were kind, benevolent spirits. Umikei used to guide mortals through the spirit world and there are tales of Jian where she's referred to as the Protector. The Fog of Lost Souls and that spider spirit are not as kind or benevolent. If what Kia says is true, Jian and Umikei would have all but forgotten who they really were."

Korra looked pensive, but didn't say anything. A heavy silence descended upon them, but it was quickly interrupted by someone knocking on the door.

"I'm sorry to barge in like this" a new voice cut in. "but I wanted to check on Senna, and I was told you'd all be here."

Several heads swiveled around to face Rumi. She was standing in the doorway, looking slightly uncomfortable being the center of attention.

"Come in, Rumi," Tonraq finally said, making room for her to enter.

"I brought some healing herbs," she said. "I know it's not much, but…"

Kya took the proffered herbs and smiled. "It's much appreciated. Thank you."

"An impressive collection," Katara noted. "You know your herbs."

"Not really," Rumi replied. "I just read a lot." Her gaze suddenly fell on Mako and she frowned. "Is everything alright? Someone mentioned something had happened when I arrived at the docks."

"We're just trying to figure out a few strange things that have been happening around here." Tonraq explained.

"What strange things? What happened to Mako?"

"Mako and I were investigating a lead," Korra said. "But we wandered into a trap and he got… gassed with some substance. It made him see things. Things that weren't even there."

Rumi's brow furrowed. "Gassed, like Senna?"

Korra stared at her. "My mother was gassed?"

"That night you found us, she was gassed. We were investigating some suspicious activity and…" She paused, took a breath and continued again. "There was a man, in a satomobile. He used some sort of gas in a canister to incapacitate Senna."

Korra raised a brow. "But he stabbed you instead of gassing you too? Why did you avoid it?"

Rumi twisted her hands in her lap. "I don't think the gas kills. That's why."

Korra didn't look like she believed Rumi, but the Avatar didn't say anything, so Tonraq decided to fill the awkward silence by briefing his friend of the events thus far.

"If you know what might be in the gas," Tonraq said. "That might help us come up with an antidote."

"Why would she know?" Korra demanded.

"We hear things," Tonraq explained. "It's not as hard as you might think to find vital information in the unlikeliest of places. We're trained to do so."

"I don't know anything about the ingredients," Rumi admitted. "But, I might know someone who does. I can make inquiries and see what they know."

"It'd be a relief if we could get answers." Tonraq remarked.

"There's still one more thing," Jinora piped up. "Kia kept a journal. Her daughter, Kioo, mentions it in the preface of the account. If you're planning on going into the spirit world to get answers, Kia's journal would be invaluable. Assuming Jian and Umikei don't remember who they are, you'll need to restore their memory. The armor Kia writes about could do that."

"But the journal is lost," Korra said. "Isn't it? It could be anywhere."

"It wouldn't matter even if you had it," Rumi said. "The journal is encrypted. You wouldn't be able to read it."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know about this legend. Kioo joined the first group of people to call themselves Assassins. After she and her brother, Tei, had a falling out, she encrypted the book herself. Kia wrote of powerful relics; Tei thought it was wrong to leave them hidden within the spirit world and Kioo thought sharing it with the world would be disastrous. She encrypted her mother's journal herself so that knowledge would stay hidden. It's said only true Assassins can decipher the journal."

"I remember that," Tonraq said. "Not the specifics of the legend, but I did hear the the journal had been kept within the order until recently. About thirty years ago, it was stolen. No one knows by who."

"It isn't hard to guess," Rumi said, looking at him. "Tei had once been a part of the Creed too, but he ended up defecting and starting a new order of his own. An order dedicated to finding these artifacts and using their power."

"The Black Lotus," Tonraq spat, "That's how they knew about the legend, too. Kioo must've shared what Xin told her with her siblings."

"The _what?"_ Korra asked.

"Black Lotus, the group Tei formed" Rumi repeated. "They've opposed the Assassins since the beginning. The Order of the White Lotus and the Red Lotus are both offshoots of the Black Lotus."

"Tei had more noble causes than the Black Lotus members today," Tonraq added. "Nowadays, any existing Black Lotus members tend to follow Red Lotus ideology."

Rumi just nodded. "They're not a particularly good group of people. They've always sought to use the relics. They claim they want to share it with the world, but I'm not so sure. And Jian's armor would be just the kind of stuff they'd pounce on if given the chance. If you're going to see her, you'll want to find her armor. If she's lost her memory, she'll need something of her old self to jog it. "

Korra frowned. "If only we had that journal!"

"It wouldn't matter," Rumi said. "The journal wouldn't help. At least, not with getting spirits to remember their original forms."

"Then what would?" Korra demanded. "I've been having visions of these spirits for a while now and I'd like answers. I can't talk to them if they're going to try and kill me every chance they get."

"I know," Rumi said. "But I guarantee you the journal is useless to you."

"You seem to know an awful lot about this journal," Korra said.

Rumi hesitated. "I- I wasn't…"

"I need to know so I can trust you," Korra demanded. "Mako's life could be on the line. My mother's life could be on the line."

"Korra-" Tonraq warned.

"I did a lot of reading," Rumi said. "Kia's name pops up in quite a few sources."

Korra was certain it was a lie, but she was too tired to argue. She decided to let it go for now.

"When do you plan to leave for the spirit world?" Opal wondered. "With Raiko's men on portal duty, it's not going to be easy."

"They're the least of my concern," Korra said. "I can take them. But I'd like to leave as soon as possible. Maybe if we can restore them to their original forms, they can point us to a spirit that can cure my mom and Mako."

"It's possible," Tonraq said. "In the meantime, I'll see what can be done about an antidote."

"I'll make those inquiries right away," Rumi promised, glancing at Tonraq and Korra. "Besides, I owe both Senna and Mako, anyway."

Tonraq nodded. "Thank you."

Rumi just smiled and made for the exit. Tonraq looked like he wanted to head to Senna's room to check on her, but Korra stopped him before he could make a move to leave. Someone must have picked up on her desire to talk to him in private because the small group disbanded and everyone headed off to their rooms.

"What is it?" Tonraq asked, looking worried. "Everything alright?"

"How much do you trust Rumi?" Korra asked.

"What?"

"It's obvious she's hiding something," Korra said. "How much do you trust her?"

"I know you're not a fan of my _work_," Tonraq said. "But taking it out on her isn't fair."

"This isn't about any of that, Dad. She knows something and she's not telling us. Mom and Mako are both in danger and we don't have any idea how to cure them. And we've still got more questions than answers. If she knows something connected to all this, why is she hiding it?"

"I'm sure she has her reasons," Tonraq said. "She'll tell us when she's ready."

"We don't have the time," Korra cried. "Mako and Mom had to be _sedated_ just so they wouldn't hurt themselves or anyone else. I can't wait until she decides to spill. For all we know, Mom and Mako could be running out of time."

"We're going to cure them," Tonraq promised. "You're crazy if you think we wouldn't."

"Yeah, but it would help if we had more information to work with. Rumi could probably tell us something useful." The Avatar grumbled. "She might even know the kind of people who'd set a trap like the one Mako and I wandered into. And, instead of questioning her, we're letting her leave like it doesn't matter!"

"Look," Tonraq said, trying to calm her down. "I understand this is the last thing you need, given everything else you're dealing with, But, I trust Rumi. I know you don't, so if it makes you feel better, I'll talk to her and see what I can find out."

"Fine," Korra said. "Let me know if she tells you anything."

Tonraq nodded, but he never got the chance to tell Korra anything.

The Avatar was on her way to her room, when she noticed a lone figure standing at the docks. Rumi was staring out at the calm waters of Yue Bay and she seemed lost in thought. Korra had no idea if her dad had already managed to speak to her, but she supposed it didn't matter one way or another. She changed course quickly and made her way down towards the piers, hoping to get some answers before the older woman left.

Rumi didn't even bother turning around when Korra joined her. The Avatar gave her all of three seconds to say something or explain herself, but Rumi just kept staring out at the backwaters of the Bay. Korra took it upon herself to talk.

"You're hiding something," she said, bluntly.

"Yes."

Korra didn't know whether to be mildly impressed or annoyed. Right now, it was a mix of the two.

"Why won't you tell us?"

Rumi shook her head. "I need to verify something first. I know you don't trust me, but I promise I'll tell you in time."

"I don't have time." Korra pointed out.

"Later tonight, then," Rumi said, meeting her gaze. "Can you sneak into the spirit world after midnight?"

"The spirit world?" Korra echoed. "What? Why?"

"I have a hunch. Can you make it?"

Korra snorted. "Don't insult me."

"Then I'll see you there," Rumi said, hurrying onto the ferry as it docked. "Don't be late."

"I won't," Korra muttered. She watched the ferry leave and headed back to the main house when it had disappeared out of her view.

* * *

Aku was pacing.

To Shen, that was never a good sign. Aku was a meticulous man; he planned everything so carefully, he almost always succeeded. Pacing meant something had gone wrong, or that something was about to. Shen wasn't sure which, but judging by the gathering in the dining room, it was safe to say he and the others were about to find out.

Shen took a moment to survey his co-workers. Zolt and his men almost never dined with Aku, and Ami and Hana who were more or less representing the Equalists, had almost always scurried off into the city to eat. Yet, for the first time, the heads of all the different factions were joining Aku for dinner. Shen didn't think that boded well for them.

"I suppose you're wondering why I called you all here," Aku said, slicing a piece of his pig chicken and chewing on it. Someone burped loudly (most likely Ping) and Aku downed some sake before continuing. "We have important matters to discuss. Tell them, Shen."

Shen blinked momentarily. Usually, Aku never asked him to relay anything of importance, but all eyes were fixed on him (for once) so Shen began his tale.

"As you all know, a while ago, we- that is, _I_\- accidentally gassed the deputy Chief of Police. Following that, a series of traps were set up around the property to deter and/or catch anyone snooping."

"And what does that have to do with why we're all here now?" Viper demanded, pouring himself a generous helping of sake. "Did you set one off?"

A chorus of laughter echoed around the table. Shen was a bit hurt to notice Aku laughing too.

"I didn't, but the trap in the warehouse was set off. It's pretty evident that someone was there. We just don't know who."

"Any ideas?" Hana wondered.

Aku slapped something on the table and the others peered at it. It was a small brooch crafted in a particular design. It looked a little rusted, as if it had been worn for quite some time.

"What is that?" Shin demanded, hesitantly prodding at it.

"A brooch," Aku said, rather unhelpfully. Zolt rolled his eyes. "It belongs to a secret organization known as the Assassins. In the old days, long before the spirit portals were closed, the Assassins used to fight both spirits and humans alike for the purpose of maintaining peace. At least, that's what they claimed. One can only imagine what they've gotten into these days."

"What does any of this have to do with us?" Zolt asked, looking bored.

"Well, the Assassins' real mission has always been to prevent certain items of interest from being found."

Two-toed Ping looked skeptical. "What items?"

"There are certain artifacts hidden deep within the spirit world," Aku explained, downing more drink. "Supposedly, the Assassins desire for those relics to stay hidden."

"That sounds perfectly reasonable to me," Ping admitted. "All these spirits popping up everywhere are freaking me out. The last thing we need is spirit-infested relics popping up everywhere."

"Mr. Ping, if one of these relics had the power to grant you unlimited wealth, would you refuse to look for it?" Aku wondered.

"Maybe," Ping replied, shrugging. "Depends. There are more profitable ways of making money that wouldn't require my life in exchange."

"How often do those work?" Aku countered. Ping shrugged. "The vast majority of the relics do more good than harm. One, supposedly, can cure any illness. Isn't that something that we should share with the world?"

"I still fail to see any link between all of this and what we're doing." Viper interjected.

"Patience," Aku responded. "I'm getting to that. Our mission has always been to incapacitate the Avatar, but I'll readily admit that my desire to have her out of the way is probably not for the same reason you all want her gone. With Avatar Korra removed, there is little stopping me, and any of you should you care to join my cause, from finding those relics and sharing their power with the world."

Aku glanced at all the figures assembled around his table. Most looked confused, but Zolt was watching him with an unreadable expression.

"Lofty goals for someone whose order deems disorder the true nature of things, isn't it?" The head of the Triple Threats wondered.

Aku shrugged. "I won't claim to be as devoted to the Red Lotus cause as my predecessor, Zaheer, was. But, there are some tenets of Red Lotus philosophy that I do agree with. That, however, is not the point. The fact of the matter is, it is imperative that we find those relics."

"Why?" Hana asked.

"I told you," Aku replied. "The majority of these artifacts are for the greater good. If we want to rid the world of evil, finding these artifacts is key."

"Doesn't that go against everything you Red Lotus people stand for?" Ping wondered, slurping more sake as if he'd spontaneously forgotten his table manners.

"I told you," Aku repeated. "I don't claim to agree with everything the Red Lotus believes in. This whole idea of disorder being the only true order is nonsense and I do not believe in that."

"So you want these relics to be shared with the world, but what does any of that have to do with what Shen was telling us?" Viper demanded.

"It's highly probable that the Assassins, the very same order that would keep these relics hidden from the world, were the ones that discovered our warehouse and set off those traps." Shen explained. "Aku is convinced that they're on our trail now and we must act quickly."

"And what do you propose we do?" Zolt demanded.

"Eliminate them, of course," Aku said, coolly. "What else is there to do?"

"And how would we do that?" Shady Shin asked, looking mildly intrigued.

Aku fished for a piece of paper in his pocket and slapped it on the table.

"This is the schematic for the building they call their headquarters. A friend was kind enough to procure it for me. The gas seems to have been perfected, so we're going to rig the building with canisters of gas."

"Isn't that a waste of gas?" Ping wondered.

"No," Aku said. "We're too close to give up now. We'll do whatever it takes to succeed, even if it means wasting gas, as you put it, to achieve our goals."

Ping kept quiet.

"We'll infiltrate their place from underground," Aku explained. "Several of you will go in and place the canisters in strategic locations and will exit as quickly as possible. Once everyone has returned, I'll give the signal for detonation and the gas will be released."

A low murmur swept through the crowd assembled.

"Mr. Ping, how good are you at firebending?" Aku wondered.

"Best firebender in all the triads," Ping boasted. "Why do you ask?"

"Once the gas has filled the place, I need you to light it."

"Are you crazy?" Ami cried. "You'll kill all those people."

"That was the plan," Aku replied, nonchalantly.

"But...but, you can't," Ami sputtered. "For one thing, it's far too risky. We'd get caught gassing a place in a busy part of the city. And for another, there might be innocent people in there. We don't even know for sure if they're the ones behind it."

"They are far from innocent," Aku said, glowering at her. "Anyone who would hide something like this is anything but innocent. If you had the power to cure plague and pestilence or the power to do away with poverty, with hunger, or suffering, would you keep it to yourself?"

"No, but…"

"Exactly. These Assassins," Aku spat, glaring at her. "Want to do just that. They would keep these gifts from everyone."

"I'm not saying that's right either," Ami protested. "But just killing all those people for no reason…"

"No reason?" Aku roared. Ami flinched. "There is every reason to kill them. And regardless of what you think, we're going through with it. You're all dismissed. Get out!"

Ami was the first one to leave, giving Aku a reproachful look. Hana followed soon after and Zolt took that as his cue to leave. He wasn't accustomed to erring on the side of caution, but Aku had given him a lot to think about. He would have to weigh his options carefully before proceeding from here.

* * *

It was late when Shin finally left Zolt's office. After having dinner with Aku, he, Viper, and Ping had headed for Zolt's place to talk, as they normally did. Zolt, however, had been unusually quiet and had locked himself in his study, demanding peace and quiet and no disturbances. That was how Shin found himself outside, kicking pebbles with nothing better to do. Viper and Ping had gone for a smoke, but Shin couldn't stand the stuff. Maybe that's why he'd elected to stay behind or maybe it was because he always felt like the odd one out. He couldn't say for sure.

Shin would have gone on contemplating this had it not been for a shadow peeking out from behind a lamp post. He got into fighting stance and squared his shoulders.

"I know you're there," he called. "Show yourself."

"Hello, Shin."

Shen rubbed his eyes in disbelief as the figure stepped out and into the light.

"I don't believe it," he muttered. "Is that you, Rumi?"

The woman gave a nod and Shin did something he rarely did before. He closed the distance between them and hugged her.

"Where've you been?" He demanded. "We looked everywhere for you. Zolt was out of his mind with worry."

"I'm sorry," Rumi apologized. "I didn't mean to make you worried."

"Reckon you would have either way," Shin laughed. "Sure is good to see you again, Rumi."

She smiled.

"Zolt will want to see you." Shin said, matter-of-factly.

"I hope so," Rumi responded. "I came to see him."

"This way, then." Shin said. He beckoned for her to follow as he led her inside.

The interior of Zolt's lair was exactly as Rumi remembered it. For a triad leader, Zolt's lair was surprisingly warm and inviting. Shin led Rumi down a corridor, turned right, up a flight of stairs and to Zolt's study at the end of the hallway. He gave a loud set of knocks and waited.

Zolt's response was just a loud "Go away!"

"Boss," Shin said. "I think you'll want to see this."

"Not now," Zolt called. "I'm busy."

Shin ignored him and opened the door to Zolt's study. The older man looked ready to hurl his desk at Shin when the massive door creaked open, but Shin stepped aside, revealing Rumi and Zolt looked as if he'd seen a ghost. He blanched and blinked as if he was stupefied.

"You have a visitor. I thought you'd want to see her." Shin said, softly.

Zolt stood still for all of one second before he moved around his desk and hugged Rumi fiercely.

To anyone else walking in, this definitely would have been a strange sight. Zolt was known for his cunning plans, and his reputation wasn't exactly one associated with the word good. But, to his closest comrades and colleagues, this was nothing unusual. For all his faults, Zolt had always been very family-oriented. Family meant everything to him and he'd demonstrated that only once, by making a giant spectacle of killing the very men who'd murdered his brother. With such a large age difference between would have assumed that Zolt and his brother weren't close, but Zolt had practically doted on his little brother, so perhaps that explained why he was so quick to take to Rumi. It had been evident that Rei and Rumi were happy together and that had been enough for Zolt to welcome her into their dysfunctional family. After Rei had died, Zolt had done his best to help Rumi, but she'd vanished. It was hard to believe that the woman standing here before him now was the same eighteen year old his little brother had first introduced to him on a warm, sunny, summer day ten years ago.

Shin suppressed a laugh, watching his boss. Zolt's smile was wide and bright, and he looked as if he'd just won the lottery.

"Spirits above, Rumi. It's good to see you again." Zolt said, once he'd gotten over his initial shock. "After you left, I thought...well, I didn't think we'd ever see you again."

"The old softie was worried sick," Shin added, unhelpfully.

"Shut up," Zolt said, but it lacked his usual bite. Rumi just laughed.

Zolt shoved some papers and files off an armchair and had Rumi sit. Shin sent a lackey out for snacks before he settled down beside Zolt.

"What've you been up to, kiddo?" Zolt asked. "Tell me everything."

"That might take a while," Rumi chuckled. "I'm afraid I don't have time for that."

"At least tell me how my niece is," Zolt said, eyes twinkling. "When can I see the little tyke?"

Rumi shook her head, her expression sad.

"Oh," Zolt said. "I'm sorry, kiddo. Didn't know you lost her."

"It's worse than that," Rumi said, bitterly. "I didn't lose her."

"I...don't understand," Zolt said, confused. "What happened?"

"I gave her away. It was for the best; I couldn't provide for her."

Zolt looked sympathetic. "Hey, you'll find her one day. I'm sure of it."

"I don't think she'd want a mother like me, though," Rumi said. "It's fine. I'm over it."

"Clearly not," Shady Shin said. "Chin up, kiddo. It'll work out somehow. The old man said so."

"Who are you calling old?" Zolt demanded.

Shin smiled.

"So, what did you come here for?" Zolt asked. "After ten years, I can't imagine it was just to catch up."

"No," Rumi admitted. "I wanted help. And I didn't mean to stay away for so long. But after what happened to Rei...well, I didn't think I'd be welcome."

"Well, that wasn't your fault." Zolt said. "Maybe it was mine. I should have been more careful, but Rei was desperate to be over and done with it."

"He was a good kid," Shin said, patting Rumi's knee. "I think we all liked him because he reminded us of what we could have been. Zolt had the guys who did him in spectacularly finished. I don't mind saying I helped. They deserved it."

Rumi didn't say anything to that. Given that she was part of an order that discreetly took out the vilest of people in equally gruesome methods sometimes, she didn't think she was qualified to comment. But, it felt nice knowing that Rei had been avenged in a sense.

"What did you come here for?" Zolt wondered, diverting their attention to less gruesome topics.

"I need information," Rumi said, smiling sheepishly. "I'm working on a case."

"You're with the Police now?" Shin wondered. Rumi noticed the disappointment in his tone.

"No," she said. "I prefer to work outside the law. But I am helping a friend who's part of the police force."

"Who?" Shin asked, suspiciously. "Should we expect the police on our doorstep after this?"

Rumi looked hurt. "You really think after everything I'd lead the police here?"

Shin looked apologetic. "Sorry. It's just...never mind. Who's this friend, again?"

"Mako."

"Mako?" Both men echoed.

"Yes. Is something wrong with that?"

"Strange kid," Zolt muttered. "I'd have thought by now he'd have turned us in, but I've yet to find the police force on our doorstep."

"Do you want to be turned in?" Rumi asked.

"No!" Both men said, emphatically. She chuckled.

"Thought so. Anyway, I was wondering if you've heard of any strange drugs on the market?"

"We don't deal in drugs, kiddo," Shin said. "You know that."

"I do know," she acquiesced. "What I meant is, have you heard anything about a new drug or hallucinogen or something because people are turning up insane."

"Define insane." Zolt said.

"I don't know how best to describe it," Rumi said, apologetically. "It's as if they're bewitched. They're fine one minute and the next, after contact with some unknown substance, they're delusional. They start muttering about spirits and monsters and all sorts of strange things. They talk as if they see things a normal person can't see and they truly believe it."

Something unspoken passed between Zolt and Shin.

Zolt pondered for a moment. He knew what Rumi was talking about. He and his men had helped procure resources for the very same "drug" Rumi had mentioned. But Zolt debated telling her the truth. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have pondered this long, but Rumi was his last real connection to his brother, and after everything that happened to Rei, Zolt decided he couldn't live with Rumi's death on his hands. So he made a decision, and lied.

"No," he said, schooling his features into one of indifference. "I'm afraid I haven't got the faintest clue what you're talking about." Rumi's disappointed look was almost too much. Zolt nearly caved and spilled the beans. But then, he reminded himself why he was doing this, and his resolve strengthened. He wasn't going to make the same mistake as last time. This time, he was going to play it safe and protect his family.

"If I do hear anything, I'll let you know." He promised, as Rumi stood up to take her leave.

"Thank you," She said. Her sigh of relief was almost audible.

"Don't be stranger round these parts," Zolt said, hugging her fiercely. "Come back soon, you hear?"

"I will. Promise."

Shin smiled. "Take care, kiddo. Can you find your way out?"

Rumi nodded, thanked them one last time, and disappeared the way she came. The minute she was gone, Shin turned on Zolt.

"You lied to her," he pointed out. "Why?"

"To protect her," Zolt said. "She can't know about Aku. He's a madman."

"No arguments there. But, I don't think you realize what you just did."

Zolt looked puzzled.

"You didn't notice the brooch she was wearing? It looked an awful lot like the one Aku showed us, that these assassin people supposedly wear. She might be one of them."

"What?" Zolt said, sharply. "What are you talking about?"

"Rumi was wearing a brooch. I thought you noticed."

"No, I hadn't."

"It was the same kind Aku showed us. He means to kill those people, maybe even her.

Zolt blanched and cursed liberally. He sank down in his chair and passed a hand over his face.

"Spirits above, what have I done?"


	19. Chapter 18

_**A/N: **Hey guys! We're back with an update earlier than we'd expected, so we hope you enjoy it! This chapter gives us a little more insight on what Korra has to do about Jian and Umikei, and Rumi turns out to be an unlikely ally. Zolt has a predicament that isn't quite so easy to solve, and has to find help in the unlikeliest of places or people. Is he really going to manage it? Read on and let us know what you think!_

* * *

"Boss?"

Aku looked up from his paper just in time to see Shen stick his head in. Aku had been holed up in his study, a room he'd claimed on the second floor of the dilapidated mansion they'd been using as their base, and he'd given Shen strict orders not to disturb him, but Shen had never been good at following instructions.

"What is it?" Aku demanded.

"The others are back. Everyone's assembled and waiting on you."

Aku bit back a groan and stood up from his chair, stretching his stiff muscles. It was late and all he really wanted to was sleep, but he'd finalized his scheme and everyone had gathered for instructions. If they were to put this plan in motion by tomorrow, they needed to be ready. Sleep could wait a little longer.

"Let's not keep them waiting then," he said, following Shen to the dining room. It was the only room in the mansion with a table large enough to seat all of them and Shen seemed to think that should be their meeting place, so everyone had gathered there. When Aku entered, he was met by several tired faces and one unusually worried Zolt.

"What is it you had to drag us here for?" Zolt asked. "You kicked us out a few hours ago."

"Apologies," Aku said, but no one seemed to accept them. "I was in a foul mood. This is more stressful than I thought. In any event, I've called you all here to discuss the specifics of this operation."

"Yes?" Zolt said.

Aku produced two schematics from his pocket and placed them on the table. One was the set of blueprints he'd presented earlier. The other was a small map.

"These," He said, pointing to markings on the blueprints, "are where the canisters will be placed. Viper, Shin, Ami, Shen and several of my men will be in charge of placing the canisters of gas in strategic locations. On my signal, you will have three minutes to open the canisters then get out. Once I give the signal, Ping will light the gas. Any questions?"

"Yes, quite a lot of them!" Viper exclaimed. "Three minutes is not enough. How do we get in? How do we get out? How do we make sure the gas doesn't affect us? How will we receive your signal? How…?"

"Alright," Aku said. "Settle down. I'll explain."

"Please do, because I don't fancy losing my wits because you didn't tell us everything." Viper grumbled.

Aku ignored him. "You'll enter via the sewers. There are underground tunnels from Amon's time that criss-cross underneath that place. Most entrances have been locked, but I assume you gentlemen...and ladies, know how to pick a lock or break in and enter." Several heads nodded. "You get out the same way you came in."

"There's only one copy of the building schematics, though," Shen said.

"Then copy it down," Aku said, glaring at him. Shen just nodded obediently.

"Our Equalist friends have been kind enough to provide us with an updated gas mask. In the event you find yourself in the building when the canisters go off, you wear your mask."

"And if we don't?" Ami wondered.

"I can't say. A lot of the gas in these canisters is from our early trials. You saw the different outcomes. I assume something like that will happen." Aku replied. "As for the signal, you will all have a radio unit. I'll radio when the three minutes are up and if you're not near an exit, wear your mask and make sure you find one. Once the place goes up in flames, I won't be responsible for what happens."

Everyone nodded.

"Any more questions?"

"How will we escape the police?" Hana demanded. "They're bound to arrive."

"Let them," Aku said. "They won't find anything. The canisters for the gas are flammable themselves. They'll burn. Any evidence of us there will disappear with the fire. It'll look like a gas leak."

"Where will you be during all of this?" Ami wondered.

Aku pointed to the small map. "Here," he explained. "The building across the street is an apartment complex. The first and second floor units facing the Assassin's headquarters have been taken by a Mr. Xi and a Mr. Yun. At least, that's what the other tenants think. I've purchased them myself and paid some lackeys to make it seem like people live there. Zolt and I will be in the second floor apartment, scouting. We'll be watching for any strange behavior in case the Assassin's are on to us. Ping and a few more lackeys will be on the first floor unit. They'll have their own radio unit and when I give them the signal, they'll light the gas as it spews out from the bureau. After you lot finish in the bureau, you are to make your way to the first floor unit. I've had a hidden tunnel constructed that leads to the sewers. You can find your way back here from there."

"Seems you've thought of everything then," Shen said. "This should be easy."

"Let us hope so," Aku said. "If not...well, I'm afraid I can't be held responsible for my actions. You're all dismissed. Make sure you stay on the property tonight. If there are any changes, you'll be notified at once."

For a brief moment, there was the sound of scraping chairs and heavy footfalls as everyone scurried out. Once they were gone, Aku retreated to his study to unwind. Working on project as big as this seldom left any time for reading the papers. Aku had about a week's worth of reading he meant to catch up on and for about an hour he was afforded this luxury. As it drew closer to midnight, however, Shen barged in as he usually did, disregarding Aku's previous statement of no disturbances whatsoever, and addressed Aku.

"Hana wants to speak with you," Shen remarked. "Should I send her in?"

"There's no point in her waiting outside, is there?" Aku grumbled. Shen ushered Hana in and closed the door behind her.

"Well?" Aku said.

Hana wrung her hands nervously. She didn't like Aku and she really didn't want to be alone in a room with him, but something was weighing on her and she knew she'd know no peace until she got it off her chest.

"I'd like to request a trade," she said, meeting his gaze. "For tomorrow."

"What?"

"I want to take Ami's place," she explained. "Tomorrow, when we rig the place…"

Hana didn't know why, but something about that didn't sit right with her. It wasn't something she could put into words, but for some reason, she didn't like it. _That_ was what she was here about. She didn't like the idea of Ami being part of the team placing those canisters. If something went wrong...well, Hana was a firebender. She'd never been trained and she'd never once used it (being raised by Equalists, how could she?) but surely the ability afforded her some immunity against fire. If Aku gave the signal early, surely she could withstand the brunt of the flames long enough to get out.

"You want to put the canisters in place instead of Ami?" He clarified.

"Yes."

Aku shrugged. "Fine. Be my guest. I don't care how it gets done so long as it gets done."

Hana just nodded and muttered a quick thank you before letting herself out.

Aku went back to his paper and managed another half hour of reading before the nagging voice in his head stopped him. Try as he might, he couldn't ignore it. Why had Hana come suddenly to ask about trading places? Was it possible she and Ami were plotting something? Thus far, they hadn't given him much cause for concern, but Aku could see Ami might be a problem. She still didn't seem too thrilled with this plan, and that was enough to make Aku wary.

"The girl needs to learn who's in charge," he muttered to himself. "But how to show her that?"

An idea was forming at the base of his skull and Aku deliberated for a moment. On the one hand, what he was contemplating was sheer foolishness, but on the other, he was so close to his goal. He couldn't let anything stop him. It was better safe than sorry, after all. Aku came to a decision and stood up, crossing the room to the small closet tucked in the corner. Inside, were all the supplies for their plan tomorrow. Radio units, gas masks, all their necessary supplies had been placed into small bags, each one labelled with a name. Aku found the one he was looking for, removed the gas mask, and slit the valve that prevented the poisoned air from coming in. And, in the same cool manner, he tucked the mask back in and went back to his reading. It was only a half hour later, just five minutes to midnight when Aku summoned Shen.

"Slight change in plans," Aku informed him. "Tell our colleagues we are to finish this whole thing before dawn. They have three hours to nap before we move out."

"Why?" Shen asked.

Aku didn't want to explain his reasons. It all amounted to paranoia anyway and none of them needed that now.

"Because I said so." He snapped. "Hurry along and tell them."

Shen obediently scurried out and Aku sank back into his chair, smiling smugly. If there was any plan brewing among his co-workers, it would soon be put to rest.

* * *

Ami was still wide awake when Hana entered the room they shared. When Aku had first enlisted their help, he'd offered everyone room and board. Hana and Ami had chosen a room on the topmost floor, isolated from all the others. Most nights, they stayed in their cozy downtown apartment, away from Aku and his creepy lackeys, but some nights they bedded in the mansion. Tonight was one of those nights. Aku had demanded they all stay nearby and they'd retired to their room on the third floor. Well, Ami had, anyway. Hana was too nervous to get much rest and her conversation with Aku and his decision to carry out this plan in the dead of night, a mere three hours from now, had done nothing to help that. She couldn't shake the feeling something bad was about to happen, but she told herself not to worry. She'd traded places with Ami so nothing would happen to her, at least. That was enough, for now. But Ami was perceptive. She could tell Hana was worried, even though Hana did her best not to show it. Her hands betrayed her though.

"What's wrong?" Ami asked, lacing their fingers together to stop Hana from wringing her hands. "Are you worried?"

"A little," Hana admitted. "Big day. A lot could go wrong."

"Don't worry about it. Everything will be fine." Ami promised.

That didn't do anything to allay her fears. Hana still couldn't shake that gut feeling something was going to happen. She thought about telling Ami of her plan then and there. They'd agreed they were going to run away sometime after this whole debacle, once Aku was caught up in the aftermath and too distracted to notice their absence. But, after he'd revealed the plan, Hana considered just telling Ami they should make a break for it now, without waiting. Even now wouldn't be a bad time to leave, she thought. So what if they weren't given the hundred thousand yuans Aku had promised? They'd be together, and at this point, that was all Hana cared about. But something prevented her from telling Ami that. Maybe she was just overreacting and worrying about nothing.

"I'm sure everything will go smoothly," Hana conceded. "But..."

"But?"

Hana deliberated for a moment. She wanted so badly to tell Ami everything, but the words were stuck in her throat. She couldn't seem to find a way to express her fears, so she plastered a smile on her face, shook her head and just sighed.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Ami didn't look entirely convinced, but she let Hana be and went back to her work. She had been stitching something (a talent Hana didn't know she possessed) and Hana watched her for a while before the silence became too overwhelming. Ami seemed to notice her discomfort, so she did something Hana rarely hear her do. Despite her preoccupation with whatever she was working on, Ami began humming a soft tune that she'd once told Hana was an old Water Tribe lullaby. She'd learned it from her father, she'd said, but Hana had rarely heard her sing it.

"Why don't you ever sing that?" Hana wondered.

Ami laughed softly. "Honestly? I've forgotten the words."

"Do you ever think of going back there?" Hana asked. "I mean, when we get away from all of this, wouldn't you like to go back home?"

Ami's tune faltered. "I am home."

"But wouldn't you like to go back to the Water Tribe?" Hana said, glancing at her. "Don't you ever miss it?"

Ami stopped her stitching altogether. She was quiet for a few minutes, reminiscing about her early childhood and the few, short years of happiness she'd had before her world had come crashing down around her.

At last, she said, "No. I don't want to go back. Ever."

Hana smiled sadly. Ami had never revealed much about her past, but Hana knew it wasn't a pleasant one.

"Some other place then," she said, settling down on the bed as Ami went back to work, mindlessly humming the same tune again.

It had sounded cheerful enough before, but now Hana thought it sounded rather melancholy. She drifted off to sleep with Ami's melancholy tune playing in her head, just as the nightmares started.

* * *

Korra stood on the dock, watching a lone ferry approach Air Temple Island. Behind her, Tonraq yawned hugely, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. It was nearing midnight and Korra was heading out to meet Rumi. Under normal circumstances, Tonraq would've been less than thrilled with midnight excursions and secret meetings in the spirit world, but when Korra had mentioned Rumi's request, Tonraq hadn't even batted an eyelash. He'd taken it in stride and had accompanied her to the docks, to wait for the ferry that would take her across the bay.

"You're not going to try and stop me?" Korra wondered, eyeing her dad.

"No," Tonraq said. "I told you: I trust Rumi."

"That makes one of us," Korra muttered.

"Honestly, I don't know why you're determined to dislike her," Tonraq admitted. "I always assumed that you'd get along when you met. Granted, I never pictured the meeting playing out the way it did, but..."

"I'm not determined to dislike anybody," Korra said. "But until I know we can trust her beyond a shadow of doubt, I'm not taking any chances. She knows something, Dad, and she refused to tell us."

"Well, you're meeting up with her now. I assume you'll weasel it out of her one way or another," Tonraq said, chuckling.

Korra gave a faint smile.

Tonraq watched the ferry pull closer. "Be safe, okay? And please, try not to judge Rumi before you know all the facts. I know you don't trust her, but I do. She saved our lives, after all."

"On a mission?" Korra guessed.

Tonraq nodded. "A long time ago, your mother and I were assigned a task by our former bureau leader. It was pretty simple and your mother and I only accepted because it was just gathering information and we didn't think we'd be away from you for too long. Unfortunately, things went downhill pretty fast. To be honest, I don't think we'd have made it out alive if not for Rumi and a couple others. But she was a big help. She was working in this brothel, posing as a mute, and it seemed like no one took notice of her, so she heard all sorts of things. And she was pretty skilled with weapons, so when your mother and I were caught in a bind, she came to our rescue. I was fully prepared to sacrifice myself so your mother could leave, but she got us both out."

Korra didn't say anything. Part of her didn't want to know about her dad's activities, but another part of her was mildly intrigued.

"That's why we got her out of there, you know?"

Korra looked up at her dad, who was still watching the ferry approach.

"Rumi," he explained, when he noticed Korra's confused expression. "She reminded me a lot of you. She thinks a little bit more before acting, but…."

"Hey!"

Tonraq laughed. "I was only teasing. In some regards, she's about as brash as you are. Our main goal had always been to get the information and get out, but the more time we spent around Rumi, the more she reminded me of you. And I kept thinking, what if it had been you in a position like that. If you'd been in a situation like that, you would've had us and your training to get you out of there, but she had nobody to help her. So, your mother and I got her out of there. And she hadn't stopped helping us since."

Korra still remained silent, so Tonraq continued.

"What I'm trying to say is, I trust her. But, I also trust you and you know I'll support you no matter what. If you find a reason Rumi can't be trusted, then we won't work with her. But for now, just listen to what she has to say and then judge."

Korra nodded and moved to go as the ferry pulled up, but stopped and hurriedly gave her father a hug.

"Thanks, Dad."

Tonraq smiled. "Be safe. I'll wait up for you."

"Don't," Korra said. "I'll be fine. See you soon."

Tonraq watched her board the ferry, and waited until it disappeared from sight before heading back up the path towards the main house.

* * *

Shady Shin was rudely awakened with a slap to the face. When he opened his eyes, Zolt was standing over him, looking paler than Shin had seen him before. He had changed his clothes and had combed his hair and was wearing something more presentable than his usual outfit which made Shin wonder.

"What's going on?" He asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning hugely. "Is it time to go?"

"No," Zolt whispered. "Another two and a half hours left."

Shin groaned and flopped back down on his mattress. He and his comrades had taken a few rooms on the second floor of the mansion and Shin had resolved to nap for the allotted three hours, but it was clear that wasn't going to happen.

"Why am I up?" He mumbled, throwing an arm over his eyes and attempting to fall back asleep.

"I need you to cover for me," Zolt said, gravely. "I'm heading out."

At this, Shin sat up and looked at Zolt.

"You're what?"

"Heading out. I know what Aku says, but I don't care. I need to warn Rumi. I'm not losing her too."

"Boss…"

"What?" Zolt snapped.

Shin just sighed. "You're really worried about her, aren't you?"

Zolt nodded. "I haven't had a lot of good things in my life," he said. "But Rei was my brother and I loved him and I loved Rumi because she made him happy. Even though he's not alive anymore, I owe it to him to make sure she's safe. I owe it to her too. I'm not letting Aku harm her."

"How will you find her?" Shin wondered. "You don't know where she is."

"I have my ways," Zolt said. "It's entirely possible, though, that I may not return. In the event that I get caught or locked up or something. I need you and Viper to take over. See this through. Make sure Rumi is safe."

"You'd risk going to jail for her?" Shin demanded.

Zolt shrugged. "Well, I don't expect to stay there long. After all, breaking out is my forte. But I owe it to Rei, don't I? I was responsible for his murder in a way, and I can never fix that. But I can spend the rest of my life making amends in ways he'd approve. Protecting Rumi? That's one of them."

"She'd probably gut you like a fish if she heard you say that," Shin pointed out. "You know she doesn't need protection."

"No," Zolt agreed. "But honestly, if it saves her and her creed, I don't care. Besides, this creed Aku keeps referring to has done nothing to me or to us. Why should we care about eliminating them?"

"Because Aku is paying us big bucks to do so?"

"Hang what Aku wants. This plan is getting crazier by the day. I don't believe it'll succeed. In any case, I'm off. If Aku asks where I've gone, it's up to you lot to come up with an excuse."

Shin nodded. "Good luck," he called, watching Zolt slip out. "You'll need it."

* * *

Zolt remained crouched behind a parked satomobile and waited. Time was ticking by slowly and he was growing more anxious by the second, but he had no intention of leaving. Rumi had to be warned, no matter the cost.

So far, the cost had been pretty high. Zolt had contemplated heading to the Assassins' bureau and asking after her, but there was no guarantee she'd be there. Then he'd remembered her mentioning Mako and he'd gone to find his former charge, only to learn that Mako had been on Air Temple Island, the last place Zolt wanted to be. But heading to Air Temple Island meant saving Rumi and he'd taken a ferry, shown up at the door, and had nearly gotten skewered. A burly man (the Avatar's father, he'd later learned) had opened the door, taken one look at him, and had nearly waterbent him into the bay. It was only Zolt's quick talking that had saved him. The minute he'd mentioned Rumi's name, the man had sombered. Zolt had explained everything, used every card in the book, just to get the man to tell him Rumi's whereabouts. He hadn't known, but he'd mentioned Korra rendezvousing with Rumi in the Spirit World. That was how Zolt found himself crouched behind a parked satomobile and just waiting. He idly wondered if he'd been given the wrong information, but he doubted it. The man, Tonraq, was obviously friends with Rumi. Surely he wouldn't have lied.

But, Zolt couldn't help the nagging voice in his head that insisted this was all a lie. What if the Avatar never showed up? What if he had wandered into a trap? What if he was wasting time by just waiting?

Zolt shook his head as if to force the thoughts out of his mind. He couldn't afford to be pessimistic now. He had to focus on finding Rumi. But it was late and time was slowly passing and as each minute went by, Zolt felt worse and worse. Just when he'd decided to give up and find other ways of reaching Rumi, a figure entered the clearing. Zolt strained to see who it was and then took a deep breath when the figure stepped closer.

Avatar Korra had arrived and Zolt was due to speak to her.

* * *

When Korra arrived at the spirit portal in the heart of Republic City, the last thing she expected to find was a field of sentries fast asleep. Ever since the newest portal had opened, Raiko had become increasingly concerned about it and he'd had sentries on guard duty for a while now. Korra wasn't familiar with the specifics of what their job entailed, but she was positive sleeping on the job was not a requirement. It made things easy for her, though, even if it did take away some of the fun of roughing them up. Still, it was uncanny how they'd all fallen asleep. Korra wondered if it was Rumi's doing.

She found the answer, three feet from the portal's entrance. A small, sharp object caught her eye and she stooped down to pick it up. It was a small dart and judging by the greenish tip, it had been coated in something. Korra examined several sentries and sure enough, she found small puncture wounds.

"Sleep darts," she said, mildly impressed. "Well, she's got style. I'll give her that much."

One of the sentries nearby stirred and muttered something that sounded like "five more minutes, mommy," and Korra took that as her cue to leave. She was just about to step into the portal when a voice stopped her.

"Avatar Korra, wait!"

Korra turned around only to come face to face with Lightning Bolt Zolt, the head of the Triple Threats.

She frowned. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

Zolt looked worried. He held up his hands in surrender. "I need to speak to you. Your father told me where you were."

Korra looked skeptical. "My dad doesn't know you. Why would he tell you where I am?"

"I needed to see a friend, Rumi. She came to see me recently and mentioned she was helping Mako on a case and since he's been hanging around you so much, I figured you'd know where she was so I went to Air Temple Island and explained and your father told me you were here."

"I do know where Rumi is," Korra acquiesced. "But why should I tell you?"

"I know you don't trust me," Zolt said. "And I don't blame you. But Rumi is family. I have an urgent message I must pass on."

Korra just blinked. This was all so strange. How did Rumi know Zolt? Was she working for him? Was she really family? Is that why she had spoken so bitterly of her parents when she'd first met Korra?

"Please," Zolt begged. "I don't have a lot of time. I need to speak to her right away."

"I'm meeting her in the Spirit World now," Korra replied. "Wait here. I'll let her know."

"Please," Zolt repeated. "I'm trusting you."

Korra just nodded and slipped in, leaving Zolt alone with a field full of sentries, dead to the world.

Rumi was waiting for her when she entered. Korra found her sitting on a rock, kicking pebbles. Beside her, she had a small satchel with something in it and Korra wondered what it was. She had a feeling she'd find out soon, though.

"Hi," Rumi greeted. "No trouble getting in?"

Korra didn't even mention Zolt. She had no intention of telling Rumi that he was waiting outside or agreeing to Zolt's request. Instead, she just held up the dart she'd retrieved. "You ruined half the fun."

"Says who? I had fun."

"I'll bet. Anyways, why are we here. What did you want to show me?"

Rumi snatched up the satchel and thrust it into Korra's hand. "Keep that and follow me."

Korra did as she was told. Rumi led them along a path for some distance before curiosity gnawed at Korra and she opened the satchel. All she pulled out was a book and she was about to shove it back in when she noticed the markings on it.

She stopped walking. "This is Kia's journal, isn't it?"

"Yes," Rumi replied

"How did you get it? My dad said it was stolen thirty years ago."

"It was. I stole it back."

Korra just blinked. "And you just kept it?"

Rumi just nodded. "I had to."

"Why?"

"I can't explain it. I'll have to show you."

Korra looked skeptical, but she followed Rumi anyway, flipping through the pages as they walked.

"Have you read this?" She demanded. "There's so much info on the spirit world in here. Look, there's even a map with paths and…"

Rumi nearly jumped a good two feet away when Korra held the book out for her to see.

"Keep it away from me," she demanded. "I've already seen it."

"It's a harmless book," Korra muttered. "What's your problem?"

Rumi's hearing was good. "I don't do well around old books."

Korra blinked. "So you're afraid of old books?"

"I'm not afraid of them," Rumi insisted.. "I just...I prefer not to be near them."

"But you read a lot."

"Not all books are old."

"You're weird," Korra decided.

Rumi snorted. "If I had a yuan for every time I heard that..."

"Where are we headed anyway?" Korra demanded. "What's so important that we had to meet here of all places. You could have just given me the journal on Air Temple Island."

"I could have, but it'd have been no use to you." Rumi replied making a left turn and leading Korra through a wooded area.

"Are you nuts? This book is full of information that I can read. There's tons of pages that are…" Korra broke off suddenly and furiously flipped through the book. But after the first ten pages, she found nothing. "It's blank."

"It's not blank," Rumi said, pushing aside a branch only for it to spring back into place and whack Korra as she followed.

"There's nothing on it," Korra deadpanned, stepping over a log. "That's pretty close to being blank."

Rumi just shook her head.

"Why are we doing this?" Korra demanded. "Isn't there some way to show me whatever's inside this journal without trekking through spirit forests?"

"You ask too many questions," Rumi said. "And no, there isn't. But, if it makes you feel better, we're here."

She pushed aside the last of the foliage revealing a vast plain that stretched out endlessly in all directions. Some distance away, a large tree stood tall and proud, its gnarled branches reaching up to dizzying heights.

"The Tree of Time? You brought me here?"

Rumi nodded. "There's something I need to show you. I couldn't do it anywhere else. At least, not without making a fool of myself."

Now, Korra's curiosity was really piqued. Rumi led them straight to the base of the tree and they climbed up to the hollow within. It had been a while since Korra had come here, and she certainly hadn't expected to find herself here with Rumi of all people.

"Are you showing me your past?" Korra wondered.

Rumi gave a bitter laugh. "My past isn't worth showing. I came here to show you yours."

"I know my past, thanks," Korra replied.

Rumi just reached for the journal.

"Please tell me you're not going to read it out loud," Korra said. "Because if you are, I might consider just going back."

"No," Rumi promised. "I'm not."

"So, then, what's this all about?"

"When I was young, I used to love reading books. One day, I found this journal and I stole it and read it. But then, the strangest thing happened."

"How strange? I've seen some strange things." Korra said.

"I don't know if _you'd_ consider it strange, but I do. One minute I was reading, and the next, I was in the book."

"You're insane," Korra decided. "There's no way to be _in_ a book."

"Not physically," Rumi said. "But that's the best way I can describe it. I read this journal and I saw Kia's life play out like I was a spectator. I knew things about her before I read them in text. I've seen her life as if I was Kioo, adding to the journal."

"So, visions then?" Korra guessed. "Not insane, but still crazy."

Rumi opened the book and immediately, the Tree of Light filled with a soft, green glow. Korra saw her visions play out before her as they had all those years ago when Unalaq and Vaatu had ripped Raava out from her. But then, after a few minutes, the oddest thing happened. Korra's own visions faded away and were replaced by a series of new visions. Korra saw a young woman, watching Raava and Vaatu battle. She saw Raava conversing with Jian, then blinding light as Jian changed forms. She saw the same young woman, on her travels with Raava, helping humans and spirits alike. Next came a whole series of visions in which the woman travelled on her own in Raava's stead, before she finally met a handsome young man. They wasted no time in starting a family and Korra watched a family of twelve siblings grow and age before her eyes.

"Are you doing this?" Korra asked, gaping at Rumi. "How...?"

"I don't know," Rumi answered honestly. "But this is why I wanted you to come here. Every time I open this journal or any book referencing Kia or the legend of Jian, I get sucked into visions like this, and I can't stop it. That's why I held on to the journal."

"You were scared," Korra realized, judging by the tone of Rumi's voice.

The older woman nodded. "It happens a lot with older books. The older the book, the easier it is to experience whatever this is. And it only happens with books connected to Kia. Sometimes, it's difficult to come back. But I needed to see this and you did too."

Korra looked back up at the visions playing like a mover before her very eyes. All twelve of Kia's kids started their own family and Korra was surprised by how many familiar faces popped up in their descendants.

"There are Avatars in there," she noted. "Kyoshi, Roku, Kuruk, Aang, Yang Chen…even Wan."

Rumi nodded. "Kia had a lot of kids and her kids all had huge families, so she's somehow connected to every single Avatar that ever existed."

"Even me?"

"I'd assume so," Rumi said. "But I don't know how. This vision ability doesn't extend that far."

"How do you know all this?" The Avatar wondered.

"The journal. When you mentioned having those visions, I thought maybe it was an Avatar thing. But then, you described details that weren't in the journal and I figured maybe you weren't experiencing random visions tied to the legend."

"They felt random, but I'm starting to think they weren't."

"They couldn't have been. The stuff you described: not all of it is in the journal, but I know what you saw because I saw it too, every time I opened this thing."

Korra hesitantly stepped forward to examine the scenes playing before her. Watching Kia's life play out before her felt so strange, yet there was a sense of familiarity about it all, as if some part of her innately knew all this. But despite all of that, Korra still couldn't find any answers as to how she was connected to Kia.

"I don't suppose there's any way you can move this forward to see into Kia's descendants' lives?" She wondered.

Rumi shook her head. "Not really. I don't have any control over what I see. I don't even know how I'm able to see all this, just that I can. And even if I did have control, it wouldn't show you what you wanted to see, just my connection to Kia."

"And that would be?"

"Kioo, the daughter that encrypted her journal. My mother's family is descended from her."

"How can you be sure?"

"That's what the journal showed me. And those visions you're having… I think Kia's trying to tell _you _something. You must be connected to her in a way, too."

"I don't suppose we could just ask her?" Korra wondered.

"If that was an option, don't you think I'd have suggested that instead of dragging you here?" Rumi replied, smiling faintly.

"Point taken. But there's got to be some way to find out how I'm connected to her, or if I am at all."

"You are," Rumi assured her. "It's just a question of _how_."

"Perhaps I can help with that," a new voice said.

All around them, the air seemed to crackle and pop and the visions playing before them melted and coalesced into an amorphous blob that slowly took the shape of a woman. She stood suspended before them, her dress and hair waving about as if some breeze was ruffling them. Her smile was kind and gentle as she surveyed Korra and Rumi standing before her.

"You're her," Korra said. "You're Kia."

The woman nodded. "It is an honor to meet you, Avatar Korra." She turned to Rumi and smiled. "And you, my dear, have done me a great service."

Rumi looked confused. "I have?"

Kia's smile was gentle as she surveyed the young women in front of them. "As a spirit, my influence does not reach very far. I've been trying to communicate with you two since I learned of your quest, but doing so has not been easy."

"You sent me those visions?" Korra asked. "I thought it was Raava."

"I tried to reach my old friend, but since the time of Wan, Raava has remained fused with the Avatar. Reaching her and through her, you, was quite difficult. I did not have enough power or influence to show you much. Rumi on the other hand,..."

"I could see because of Kioo?" Rumi wondered.

"Perhaps. But Kioo cannot take credit for all your abilities. You owe some of it to your mother."

"My mother?" Rumi looked baffled. "She never knew about this."

"No, but it was thanks to her that you were able to see into your past."

The air before them rippled and shifted and a new vision unfolded, one of a woman with hazy, indistinct features clutching a small bundle. She was seated at the base of a large banyan tree, in a familiar location.

"That's the swamp in the Earth Kingdom," Korra noted. "That's where you were born?"

Rumi shrugged. "How should I know? I don't remember it."

"The swamp is a very spiritual place," Kia explained.

"My mother wasn't spiritual."

"Wasn't she?" Kia wondered. "Maybe not spiritual in the conventional sense of the word, but she was spiritual in her own way." Rumi didn't look thrilled to hear that. "In any event, you were born there. The tree in the swamp mirrors the Tree of Time. Somehow, you were able to tap into that spiritual energy or it was able to tap into you and…"

"I was cursed into seeing visions I had no control over and sounding like a lunatic?"

Kia's laugh was soft. "Or perhaps you were blessed and given enough power so that you could help me reach Korra."

Rumi didn't look convinced, but she didn't say anything.

"So, why were you trying to reach me?" Korra wondered.

"You're connected to me too. More so than any Avatar in the past. My family was large and fairly...prolific. Many of my descendents were tangentially connected to Avatars throughout history, but my eldest daughter's lineage ends with you."

As if on cue, by some mystical power, Korra saw Kia's eldest daughter's lineage flash before her eyes. The last image she saw before it all faded was Senna's smiling face staring back at her.

"Can you help us, then?" She wondered. "My mother's in danger."

"Not really," Kia admitted. "I know little more than you do, and even otherwise, spirits like me are forbidden from interfering in mortal affairs. But, you've seen what I know and I've come to offer what little help I can. I can point you to Jian."

"How hard can it be to find her?" Korra wondered. "There aren't many spider spirits are there?"

"No," Kia confirmed. "But speaking to her will not be easy. It has been many millennia since Jian was forced to remember. She will not give in without a fight."

"But if we speak to her, will she help us?"

"I cannot say. In my day, we called her The Protector. She was known for helping humans and spirits alike, but that was a very long time ago. But you'll have to seek her help if your quest is to succeed."

"How do you know about it?" Rumi asked.

Korra wasn't sure, but she thought she saw Kia's eyes twinkle.

"I have my ways. The visions work both ways, you know?"

"You've seen visions of us?" Korra asked.

"Not many, but some. When I first travelled with Raava, I'd see glimpses of your face. Perhaps her energy allowed me to see you or perhaps more mysterious powers were at work. I cannot say. But I would dream of Jian and another young woman, sometimes. It wasn't until you were born that I realized it was you. And after Kioo was born…well, the midwives said I caught a fever and was delirious for days. I dreamed often of Rumi then, but I didn't know it until quite recently."

"But why us? We didn't know each other until a few weeks ago." Rumi pointed out.

Kia shrugged. "Even I do not know the answer to that. But, in the old days, I believe your creed worked closely with spirits and learned the art of tapping into the memories of their ancestors. It was a skill honed over many decades, but over the years it faded. Perhaps Raava knew by your time it would be all but lost and that it would take both of you to piece together this puzzle. Or, as I said, perhaps some other force is at work here. Whatever the case, you both now know my story and what I saw. Other than that and pointing you to Jian, I'm afraid I can do little else."

Korra looked pensive. "What happens if we don't convince Jian to help us?"

"Nothing good, I'm afraid. When Jian shed her true form, Raava scattered her armor and her sword. Only Jian is meant to wear that armor and wield the sword. If a mortal tries, they'd be granted unlimited power."

"The Black Lotus people you mentioned," the Avatar recalled, glancing at Rumi. "Is this what they're after?"

"Among other things, yes," replied Rumi. "Jian's armor is the most important, but there are other relics from similar spirits scattered throughout the spirit world that they wouldn't mind getting their hands on."

"That's why Jian is essential to your quest. If you wish to find answers, Jian could help, but only if she's persuaded to remember."

"If we can find her now, maybe we can cure my mom and Mako," Korra mused.

"I wish you luck then," Kia said. "Though, given all you've done so far, I don't suppose you'll need it."

Korra just smiled.

Kia fixed her gaze on Rumi, next. "For you my dear, a parting gift: some advice. No matter how bleak things may seem, don't ever give up. You've guessed the truth about Kioo and you know what happens. Things worked out then and they'll work out now. You'll see."

"What happened to Kioo?" Korra asked.

Kia looked guilty. "My cloudy judgement nearly branded her for life. I loved my husband very much, but as our family grew, it became increasingly difficult to support them. My husband left us to earn more money. He promised he wouldn't be gone longer than a month, but he disappeared for years on end. In that time, my best friend Xin stepped in and really helped me. He became like a father to my children and helped me cope with the loss of my husband. Kioo is really my daughter through Xin. I made a rash decision one day and Kioo was the result of that. Kioo having a different father wouldn't have been such a big deal if my husband hadn't still been alive and returned to me. Xin and I explained things to him and Xin decided if word got out about Kioo's birth, she'd be ostracized for something that wasn't her fault. He decided that Kioo should stay with me and that my husband and I raise her. He removed himself from her life entirely, until she was much older. After that, things just fell into place. Kioo joined the Creed which Xin headed and they got to see a lot more of each other. He made up for all the years he missed and we were all very happy. It took time to get there, but we got there eventually and you will too."

Rumi just offered Kia a weak smile, before Kia's image dissolved with one last whispered "good luck."

"So…what was that all about?" Korra wondered. "Why did she tell you all that?"

Rumi looked wistful all of a sudden. "I had a daughter."

"Oh." Korra vaguely remembered Rumi mentioning something about that. "What happened to her?"

Rumi shrugged. "I don't know. I gave her up for adoption. I couldn't provide for her."

"The father walked out?"

"No, he died."

"I'm sorry," the waterbender offered.

"Don't be. It's for the best, but I guess I'm selfish because I always look out for her."

"That's not selfish. You care. A lot of other people in your position would have probably given up by now."

"Maybe."

Rumi was still an enigma Korra didn't think she'd ever figure out, but her father had been right; meeting her and learning more from her and Kia had helped. Maybe that's why Korra decided to do what she did next. After meeting Zolt, she hadn't planned on telling Rumi that he had an urgent message because she didn't trust her and she definitely didn't trust Zolt. But, after all this, Korra thought maybe her father's judgement was still sound. This trip didn't change much, but maybe Rumi could be trusted.

"If we're going to find Jian, we better hurry," Rumi piped up. "We can't afford to waste time if Senna's and Mako's lives are on the line."

Korra nodded. "Yeah, but before we go, there's something I need to tell you."


	20. Chapter 19

_**A/N: **This was a hard one to plan and write. There's a lot going on, and none of it good. Aku's reckless plan might set the good guys back quite a bit, allowing him to concentrate more on what he's really after. Rumi's past comes back to haunt her as she realizes this whole plot concerns her more personally than she realizes. Where will this lead Korra and her krew? Read on and find out!_

* * *

Zolt had just about given up hope of ever telling Rumi in time. He'd spent the last few minutes waiting and knocking out sentries to pass the time. Most of them were still fast asleep, but occasionally one stirred or another one opened their eyes and Zolt amused himself by putting them back to sleep. It didn't do much to alleviate his fears, but it did help pass the time. But, that could only keep him occupied for so long. He spent the remainder of his time pacing and just when he'd decided that Avatar Korra was not going to help and that he should hightail it back to the hideout, she and Rumi emerged from the spirit portal. Zolt nearly jumped for joy and all but tackled Rumi with a hug.

Korra tried not to look so surprised, but the mere sight of Zolt hugging anyone was surprising.

"You kept your word," Zolt said, surprised.

Korra nodded. "If our situations had been reversed, would you have broken yours?"

"I'd have thought about it."

"What makes you think I didn't?"

"But you didn't."

"No, I didn't," Korra agreed. "Now, what's this urgent news about?"

Zolt turned to Rumi. "You off to the bureau, kiddo?"

"No, I assumed I'd be in the spirit world for a while, but Korra mentioned you had urgent news."

Zolt nodded. "Shin was down at the old pub near Narook's and he overheard some guys talking. He did some eavesdropping and got some intel. Someone's planning to burn your headquarters down."

Rumi's eyes widened. "_What_?"

"If it was anyone other than Shin, I'd disregard it. But, Shin was certain these guys were talking about assassins and after your visit the other day, I figured you were part of them. So when Shin told me the news, I set out straight to find you." Zolt lied.

"Hold on," Korra interjected, putting two and two together. "_Zolt_ was the first person you went to to look for answers after our conversation?"

"Triads operate underground," Rumi said, defensively. "I assumed he'd have heard something about drugs or gasses, if nothing else."

"Rumi came to me for help regarding Mako," Zolt said. "Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do much then, but I'm trying to help now. You need to get somewhere safe."

Rumi shook her head. "If there really is going to be an attack, I have to alert the others."

"You'll get hurt," Zolt said. "It's too risky."

Rumi just sighed. "I can't sit back and do nothing. I have to warn them."

"If people's lives are on the line, you can't just expect us to leave." Korra replied.

Rumi turned to look at her. "Us? I thought you were heading off to find…"

"And let you have all the fun? As if. Besides, helping people is kind of my job."

"You won't have much time," Zolt warned. "It's late; the attack could happen any time now."

"You think it's these Black Lotus people?" Korra wondered.

"Could be," Rumi replied. "They would attack in the dead of night."

"I don't know who's behind this," Zolt lied. "But if you must warn others, stay safe."

"Where are you off to?" Korra demanded.

"I'm needed elsewhere," was Zolt's response. He gave Rumi one last hug, and disappeared off into the night.

Korra watched him go.

"How much do you trust Zolt?" She asked Rumi.

"Enough to know he wouldn't lie to me," Rumi responded. "I know you don't, but he's not all bad. He's not lying...at least, not about this."

The Avatar sighed. "I have so many questions, but I guess those can wait. How can I help?"

"I'll need backup and your dad would probably want to know too."

"The one time I decide to let Naga sleep is the one time I could really use her help," Korra muttered. "I could go get my dad, but there's no guarantee I'd make it back on time."

Rumi looked thoughtful for a minute before, hurrying off towards a nearby lot where the sentries stowed their vehicles. She started a motorbike and grinned at Korra.

"Have you ever driven one of these before?"

"Not by myself. Mako tried to teach me, but we never got too far with those lessons."

Rumi gave Korra a quick rundown of the basic controls and then watched her mount.

"This has 'bad' written all over it," Korra said, staring at the bike as if was a foreign object. "You sure about this. Why can't you just go get my dad and I'll find your friends and…"

"I'm not so sure they'd listen. And anyway, I think I'd be slightly more useful at the bureau. I know exit routes and…"

"I get it," Korra said, interrupting her. "I'll bring backup. If I crash the bike though…"

"I'll take care of that later," Rumi promised. "No one will even know it was a bike that crashed."

Rumi couldn't be sure, but she thought she heard Korra mutter something about assassins being crazy. She just smiled.

"Here goes nothing," Korra said, revving the engine.

Rumi's laugh could still be heard even as she zipped away at breakneck speed.

* * *

Shady Shin had just secured the last of the radios when Zolt entered. It was nearing the hour to move out and Aku had already assembled a few men to start loading supplies into a van. Viper and Ping were still fast asleep, but Shin hadn't been able to get much sleep since Zolt had gone out. He kept thinking maybe Zolt had been caught or that maybe Aku had caught wind of their plans and that they'd be punished somehow, but that hadn't happened. Zolt had simply waltzed in and no one had made a fuss about it.

"Cutting it close, boss," Shin said. "Another five minutes and Aku would've noticed."

"He's too busy setting up," Zolt said. "I take it we're all set to start?"

"Just about. Aku should give the signal in another ten minutes or so. Did you warn Rumi?"

"Yes. She's on her way to alert the others, but Aku's desire to have this place gassed does worry me a bit. How to ensure that, if he strikes at all, it's after Rumi has left the place?"

"Radio?" Shin suggested. "If you'd given her one, we might have been able to radio her to let her know when Aku gives the signal."

"No, too risky. Aku might intercept it. If I'd been thinking clearly I could have decided on some sort of signal to let her know, but what's done is done. Rumi's a smart kid; she'll find her way out. Still, I'll try to stall as long as possible."

Shin didn't say anything.

"By the way," Zolt said, heading to the far end of the room to grab some food he'd stored there earlier. "I know I don't say this often, but thanks for your help. Means a lot."

Shin gave a faint smile. "Don't mention it. I meant what I said the other day; we all liked Rei. Maybe he's not blood, but he's still family. We gotta help each other out, right?"

"Still, not many would."

"Maybe not, but your brother was a special kid, the kind that even weird old codgers like you couldn't help wanting to please."

"Shut up."

"The kid helped me in that raid. I'd have been goners if it wasn't for him. Maybe I owe him as much as you do."

"Maybe," Zolt mused.

"Anyways, Aku will be up here soon," Shin noted. "Better get ready."

Zolt nodded, finishing his snack and heading for the main room where they were to meet. In a little over ten minutes, they'd be heading out and Zolt wasn't sure what would happen next. But of one thing, he was absolutely certain: if Aku's plan harmed Rumi, there would be hell to pay.

* * *

"Ami?"

Ami was jostled awake and blinked in the darkness. It was some ungodly hour of the night and all she wanted to do was sleep, but Hana was prodding her awake.

"Aku gave the signal to get ready," Hana said. "We've got to hurry."

Ami yawned and slipped out of bed, grabbing her day clothes and her boots and slipping into them. Hana must have been awake for a while because she was already in her day clothes and her hair was neatly combed, unlike Ami's own.

"You nervous?" Ami wondered, carding her fingers through her hair and quickly plaiting it.

"A little. I'm less nervous now though."

"That's good. We'll be done with all this madness in no time and then we can get out of here."

"About this madness," Hana said, wringing her hands. "I...Aku made a slight change in plans. I'm taking your spot. You'll be at the stakeout location."

Ami looked confused. "Why?"

"I don't know." Hana lied. "He didn't say."

Ami just shrugged. "Must be nothing then. Aku likes micromanaging everything. That's probably what it is."

Hana wished she could write it off as easily as Ami could, but that sense of dread and that nagging voice that told her this would end badly hadn't gone away at all. She'd barely gotten a wink of sleep, thanks to her nerves.

"You think Aku will let us eat before we go?" Ami wondered, breaking Hana out of her train of thought.

"I was told there's food somewhere," Hana replied. "So, I suppose so."

"One last date before we head out?"

Hana laughed. "Your definition of date needs some work. If this is a date, I don't know if I want to commit to this relationship anymore."

"I'll make up for it with a present," Ami decided. She fished for something in her bag and then handed it to Hana.

"It's my good luck charm," she explained, when Hana opened her hands to reveal an old bracelet. "Belonged to my mom."

Hana gaped. "I can't take this. What if I don't come back for some reason?"

"That's why I'm giving it to you," Ami clarified, laughing. "You know how much it means, so now you've got to make it back, so I can get you and the bracelet."

"You're never going to make things easy, are you?" Hana wondered.

"Nope," Ami replied, looping her arm through Hana's and dragging her off in search of food. "Get used to it."

* * *

Aku was excited. Under normal circumstances, waking up in the dead of night to carry out stealthy plans never excited him, but tonight was different. After years of fighting, he was finally getting a chance at eliminating his enemies once and for all. That thought was nearly enough to make him giddy. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of Shen. He was grumpy and less than thrilled to be up and it showed in his manner of barking orders at lackeys and relaying information to Aku who was seated in the driver's seat of the lead satomobile.

"Useless men," Shen grumbled. "Why do we work with idiots like these?"

One lackey stumbled and nearly pitched forward into the trunk of a satomobile.

"They're dimwitted and drunk, and cheap," Aku replied. "That's why. Now, if you're done throwing a temper tantrum, please ask the others to get into the van. It's about time we set off."

Shen looked sheepish, but he did as Aku told and fetched the others and had them all pile into the van, before climbing into the driver's seat himself. Aku started his own satomobile and behind him, Zolt started the second one and once Aku was certain everything had been checked off of his mental checklist, he pulled out of the drive and headed downtown.

The ride there wasn't a particularly long one, but it was made long by the circuitous route they took. Aku avoided all the busiest streets and made sure to stay well away from police-patrolled regions of the city. Occasionally, a patrol car passed and Aku held his breath every time that happened, but thankfully, none bothered to pull him over, so they reached their hideout without incident. Aku fished the keys for the flats out of his pocket and then exited the vehicle to unlock the doors. Shen had everyone file out of the van and into the flat on the first floor where they'd be given their gear.

The flat was a tiny one and Aku had paid for some cheap furniture to decorate the place. Between that, the equipment and all the people crowded into the tiny flat, there wasn't much room for them to stand. Thankfully, though, Aku had the team placing the canisters suit up rather quickly.

"Make sure you all have a radio unit," Aku instructed. "And Shen will be handing you copies of the map he made with the locations you are to place your canisters. Make sure you get that as well."

"Why is there a blob on mine?" Hana wondered.

"It's not a blob, it a moose-lion," Shen exclaimed. "The building behind the bureau is a pet store. It's to indicate what it is."

"Oh."

"Don't worry too much about the symbols on the map. Just make sure you follow the route marked on it," Aku instructed. "If you can do that, we'll be done with this in no time."

Viper slipped on his radio unit and grabbed his gear. "Are we ready to head out?"

"Just a minute." Aku grabbed a pack with some gear and handed it to Hana. "You'll need these."

Hana took the proffered pack and slipped it on.

"Now we're ready," Aku declared. "Shen, open the sewer entrance in the back, please. You lot follow Shen and begin placing the canisters. Zolt, you and I will head to the flat upstairs. Keep in contact via the radio."

Several heads all nodded. Shen led one team into the sewers and Aku headed for the second story flat with Zolt trailing behind him. In a matter of minutes, the Assassins would cease to be a thorn in his side and he'd be able to focus on more important matters.

"Someone's awfully excited," Zolt noted, drily.

Aku laughed. "Yes, I am. I've been waiting for this day a long time. Tonight, we rid Republic City of these Assassins."

"And after that?"

Aku's eyes twinkled with mirth. "We've bigger fish to fry, don't we? After all this, we can finally take care of Avatar Korra."

Zolt didn't say anything, but he didn't seem too thrilled with the idea. Privately, he didn't think any of this would succeed, but money was money. If Aku was paying him, he didn't really mind what Aku did. At least, he hadn't, until now. Maybe it was Aku's crazy plans or the way the man seemed drunk off of excitement, but Zolt was starting to doubt everything. Aku's plans seemed crazier by the minute and Zolt didn't think anything good would come of it. And, after the Avatar had helped him find Rumi, he wasn't too keen on getting rid of her. Perhaps there was a slight chance she might even restore his bending. After all, he'd done some good, hadn't he? If Aku eliminated her, how was he to ever recover his bending?

In those few minutes, Zolt made a decision. He wasn't particularly fond of Aku and the company he kept and he was certainly no friend to the Avatar, but he really only had two options at this point and one was marginally better than the other. So, he cast his lot and prayed that he hadn't made the biggest mistake of his life.

* * *

Korra zipped through the streets of Republic City and towards the bay, hoping she wouldn't hit anyone on the way. Thankfully, the streets were fairly empty, so she was at the docks within ten minutes and waiting for the ferry from the Island to take her back.

Normally, she would've been fine with waiting the extra ten minutes, but time was of the essence, so she dove into the bay and tore through the current towards the island as quickly as she could. As soon as she landed on the docks at the island, she took a minute to dry off and ran towards the room where Senna and Mako were being kept, knowing her father would be there trying to rest.

Luckily, she didn't even have to go that far.

"Korra?" she heard her father call as she ran into the courtyard.

"Dad! We need to take Naga and get out of here!" Korra replied and let out a shrill whistle.

"Why? What happened?" Tonraq asked, growing more worried as he looked around. "Where's Rumi?"

"She needs our help. Did Zolt come see you?"

"Yeah, he did. Did he-"

"No," Korra cut him off. "He really was there to warn Rumi. Your bureau is being attacked. Rumi's probably there by now."

"What? How?"

"Zolt told us," Korra explained. "She'd gone to him for some intel on Mako's case, and he came to me after he saw you."

"I knew there was something fishy about that," Tonraq admitted. "When he came here to talk to you, I was a little worried."

"He can't hurt me, dad," Korra assured him. "Plus, he was genuinely worried about Rumi. He mentioned the attack would happen in a couple of hours, and that was an hour ago."

Tonraq was stunned. "I'll be right back. Let me call the bureau and warn them."

"Make it quick," Korra said as he ran towards the main hallway towards the main telephone for the Island.

Naga yipped happily as Korra scratched her behind her ears. She hadn't brought herself to fully think about what had happened to Mako and her mother. She hadn't had the time. There had been too many reveals in too little time, and she could only focus on what was most important at that moment. And although she hated to admit it, saving the Assassins who were about to get burned to a crisp for no fault of their own was something she couldn't ignore.

She must've been lost in thought, because she hadn't heard her father's footsteps as he rushed back. Pushing her worries about Mako aside, she addressed Tonraq as soon as he was standing beside Naga.

"Get on," Korra said, giving him a hand. "Rumi will need all the help she can get."

Tonraq clambered on to Naga's back and they sped off towards the mainland with unusual haste.

* * *

Hana flicked on her flashlight and surveyed the area she was in. When she had descended into the sewers, she wasn't sure what to expect, but it wasn't this. The whole area was still and quiet, save for the trickling sounds of water somewhere. It was dark and eerie and Hana shivered.

"Let's get this over with," she muttered, glancing at the map and heading off in the direction of the first location. The first canister was relatively easy to place. Hana had no trouble finding the ventilation shaft and placing the canister. She easily secured it and released the switch that spewed the noxious gas up into the bureau above. The second ventilation shaft was slightly more difficult to find but it wasn't too long before she had strapped the canister in place and released the switch. The third canister was the hardest to place. Hana lost valuable time trying to pinpoint where Aku wanted it and by the time she had managed to make sense of her crudely drawn map, Aku's voice crackled forth from the radio.

"One minute left. Hurry back."

Panic reared up within Hana. She cursed and fumbled for her radio.

"Hana here. I'm not ready," she said. "I need a couple more minutes. Please, Aku, can you delay the signal?"

The radio crackled with static but did little else.

Hana tried again. "Aku, this is Hana. I need more time. Can you delay the signal for a couple of minutes?"

Hana's request was only met with silence.

* * *

Ami knew she was in trouble. Aku had given strict orders not to abandon posts and she was doing just that. But ever since she'd heard Hana's voice over the radio, she hadn't been able to stop worrying. Would Aku really light the place with Hana still inside?

Ami wasn't about to wait to find out. She rushed up to the second flat, taking the stairs two at a time and bounded into the flat on the second story.

"Aku," she cried, gasping for breath. "Wait!"

But it was too late. Aku held the radio up and signalled Ping.

"Proceed."

Ping crept from the first floor flat and headed towards the street. He paused for a fraction of a second, crouching behind a parked satomobile, before aiming his firebending for the bureau. Ping was a lanky man, but his stature belied his strength. The entire facade of the bureau went up in flames in less than a minute.

"No!" Ami cried. "Hana's still in there."

Aku turned from his spot by the window, an expression of surprise on his face.

"I had no idea," he lied. "But, we can't stop now. Hana's a smart, clever girl. She has her radio and her gas mask. She'll come out."

"We have to go in and get her," Ami said. "Before those Assassin people find her."

"No," Aku snapped. "Do not abandon your posts. Hana will have to find her way out. If one of us goes in, it'll be too risky. Any minute now, that place will blow sky high."

Ami looked desperate. "But…"

Aku resisted the urge to deck her right there. This girl was proving to be a thorn in his side.

That's what I get for involving the Equalists, he thought.

"You will stay here and follow the plan. That's an order." Aku said. "Zolt, keep an eye on this one. I'm going down to check on the others."

Aku pushed past Ami and headed for the stairwell.

Zolt, for his part, hardly acknowledged Ami. He kept staring out the window, muttering to himself.

"Come on, come on."

"What?" Ami asked.

Zolt's knuckles turned white from where they were gripping the window sill.

"What's going on?" Ami demanded, joining him beside the window. Across the street, a huge swath of the bureau was up in flames and the whole area glowed with a soft amber light. The first Assassins were already spilling out into the street, coughing and clutching their throats. Zolt surveyed them all, looking more and more panicked as he did so. Ami watched the scene unfold around her, forcing down the panic. Hana was nowhere to be seen but that didn't mean she hadn't gotten out.

Suddenly, Zolt gave a great big exclamation. Ami jumped a good foot in the air.

"It worked!" Zolt said, gleefully. He laughed, a great big booming laugh. "Spirits above, it worked!"

"What worked?" Ami demanded, thoroughly confused. "What is going on?"

Zolt pointed outside. Below, chaos was unfolding with Assassins running to and fro, onlookers spilling into the streets, and smoldering bits of the building falling down around them. A mass of people surged from the bureau and the surrounding buildings to avoid the gas and the fire, but one woman was heading straight for the blaze.

"Do you see that girl?" Zolt asked, pointing to her. "She'll find your friend if you ask her to."

"Who is she?" Ami asked. "An Assassin?"

"Yes," Zolt said. "Her name is Rumi. She's my sister-in-law. Well, she would've been, but that's a story for another time. Ask her to help you find Hana. She'll get her out."

Ami looked baffled. "Why are you helping me? I thought you wanted this plan to succeed and me going in there might jeopardize everything."

"Spirits above, girl," Zolt barked. "Now's not the time to be questioning things. If you want to save Hana, go."

"But...I can't," Ami stammered. "Aku will see me. He'll be furious. I wouldn't mind that so much but he might take it out on Hana."

"We'll worry about that later. You're running out of time."

Ami looked scared, but she steeled herself and made for the door. Zolt merely grabbed her and steered her to the window.

"Window's faster. Aku won't be able to see if you go out 'round the side of the building."

"Thanks," Ami muttered, clambering over the sill and shinnying down a pipe.

"Good luck," Zolt called. "I'll deal with Aku when he gets back."

Ami nodded gratefully, and began her descent.

By the time she reached the ground, Ami realized she'd need a good deal more than luck. The fire had now engulfed the whole bureau and between the flames, the gas pouring out, and the thick, black smoke choking the area, it was increasingly difficult to see. Ami pushed through the crowd of people streaming from the fire, trying to pinpoint Rumi, the woman Zolt had pointed out. She was hard to find and follow though, and Ami lost valuable time trying to look for her. Just when she'd given up hope of finding Rumi and had decided on finding Hana herself, someone grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Let me go," Ami demanded, struggling to break free. "My friend, Hana, is still in there."

"Are you crazy? You'll die if you go in there."

Ami turned around to get a good look at whoever was holding her back.

"Please," She nearly sobbed, noticing it was Rumi. "I need to get my friend out of there."

Rumi opened her mouth to say something, but just then, a large, massive form hurtled over them and landed several hundred feet away. Two figures dismounted and headed their way.

Ami was too worried about Hana to really register that the Avatar was but three feet from her, but she was thankful that at least someone was thinking clearly. Avatar Korra started dousing the flames and working on controlling the fire while her companion, a large, burly man, ducked inside the bureau to look for Hana, under Rumi's instructions.

"Stay here," Rumi ordered. "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?" Ami demanded. "What about Hana?"

Rumi sighed. "I know you're worried sick, but trust me. You won't be any help to us. I know this place better than you do. I'll help look for your friend, Hana. In the meantime, stay out here, please. You'll be safer."

Ami just nodded, but it did nothing to help her nerves.

Rumi hurried off towards the building, but just when she was a few yards from the entrance, the building exploded. The force of the blast was powerful enough to knock Ami off her feet,, even though she was much farther away. Even the Avatar, despite a protective bubble of air circulating around her, couldn't manage to avoid all the debris. She nearly got flattened by her polar bear dog who was attempting to avoid flaming bits of wood that rained down from the explosion site.

Ami cursed. The smoke was too thick to see much of the building and she had no idea what had happened to that Rumi woman. Had she even made it inside? Ami tried to look for her, but there was no sign of her. A few Assassins had been caught under the debris as the building collapsed, but none of them were Rumi.

Grunting with effort, Ami attempted to stand, determined to search for Hana herself. But, the minute she tried to move, pain flared in her legs and she was forced to sit back down. Walking was out of the question, but Ami reasoned she could still crawl. She had just about decided to crawl and dig through the rubble for Hana when the Avatar rushed over.

"Don't move," she ordered. "You'll only hurt yourself more."

At this point, Ami didn't care.

"I need to find…"

"You won't find anyone in this condition," Korra said. "Stay here and let others look. You'll only strain yourself."

Ami broke down. "You don't understand," she sobbed, burying her face in her arms. "Hana means everything to me. I can't lose her."

Korra's scowl softened. She knelt beside Ami and tried to reassure her. She understood where the other girl was coming from. She remembered the night she and Mako had been caught in that strange fog and how nerve wracking it had been not being able to find him. Maybe the circumstances were different, but Korra could empathize with her. She imagined she'd have felt the same way if one of her friends had been in a fire like this. Mako might have fared slightly better than Asami and Bolin, but Korra knew it'd have been nerve wracking no matter who it was.

"Listen," Korra said, softly. "I know it's really hard to believe, but there's a chance your friend may have survived. Maybe my dad found her."

"That big, bear-like man?" Ami wondered. "He probably perished too."

"Have you seen him?" Korra wondered. "He's got thick skin. He'll survive. He's...bear-like, like you said."

That got a tiny laugh out of Ami.

"I think I killed your friend," Ami said morosely, a minute later. "That woman, Rumi, she went in just before the building exploded."

Korra looked worried.

"I'm going to look for her. I'll be right back. Stay here. We'll get you to a healer once all this is sorted and dealt with."

The Avatar rushed off towards the rubble and began shoving aside debris in an attempt to find Rumi. She had little luck, but Naga managed to find her huddled under several massive pieces of stone that had just narrowly avoided flattening her. Korra earthbent them away and helped Rumi to her feet.

"You okay?" She asked.

Rumi brushed off the ash and dirt from her robes."Alright. Where's Tonraq?"

Korra looked a bit worried. "He's probably still inside."

"We should go look for him," Rumi suggested. "Might take a while."

Korra nodded. Just before she could move, however, the sewers exploded some distance away. Korra and Rumi exchanged glances, before rushing to find the source.

Fifty feet from the bureau's entrance, a large burly figure emerged from the sewers. Korra rushed to greet her dad, but grew somber when he noticed him holding the limp figure of a woman.

"Hana! You found her!" Ami said, tears pooling in her eyes. "Thank goodness."

Tonraq gently set Hana down beside Ami and fished a gas mask from his pocket and a radio receiver as well.

"I found her underground, in the sewers. The gas and smoke were too thick up here so I went below and found her passed out. She had these on her. The gas mask was broken."

"Broken?" Ami said.

Rumi examined it closely. "No, not broken. It was tampered with. Someone cut the portion that prevents the wearer from inhaling the contaminated air. Without it, the mask is useless."

"Why was she even down there in the first place?" Korra demanded.

"We had a job," Ami said. "We were only in it for the money. But she was ordered to do something down there and…"

Ami trailed off and sniffled.

"Well, that job nearly cost your friend her life," Tonraq said. "She needs medical attention."

"We can take her to Air Temple Island," Korra suggested. "Katara and Kya could patch her up in no time."

"We could," Tonraq replied. "But they're already doing everything they can for Senna and Mako. it wouldn't be fair to ask them to do more work."

"I'll help," Korra offered. "Besides, the hospitals will be too crowded and I'm not sure she can wait to be checked. If we don't act now, we might be too late."

"Please," Ami said. "If there's a way to save Hana, I'll do whatever it takes."

"Alright," Tonraq acquiesced. "We should probably get going before it's too late."

"Thank you, sir," Ami said, breathing a huge sigh of relief.

"Sir?" Tonraq gave a soft laugh. "Name's Tonraq."

"Tonraq," she repeated. "My father had a friend named Tonraq."

"We never caught your name," Rumi pointed out.

"Ami." She replied.

"Kesuk's daughter?" Tonraq wondered, hazarding a guess. His old friend had a daughter by the same name and there couldn't possibly be _that_ many Tonraqs around.

"You knew my father then?" Ami asked.

"You two know each other?" Korra demanded.

"Not really," Tonraq admitted. "But, Kesuk was why I left the creed. He had a daughter he left behind and well…"

"He was the friend you told me about," Korra guessed. "The one who died and left behind a young daughter

Tonraq nodded. "Your mother and I were in no position to take her in but we wanted to help. Unfortunately, we were too late. By the time we tried to get involved in her affairs, the girl had vanished."

"I ran away," Ami admitted. "My mother had passed away after having me and with my father gone, I had no one left. So I ran."

"And came here," Rumi guessed. "Street kid?"

Ami shook her head. "Orphanage and then foster care."

"How did you end up being forced to do this job?" Rumi asked.

Ami flexed her foot and winced as the pain flared up again.

"I told you; Hana and I needed money. Lots of money. We were going to get hundred thousand yuans and then run away, start over. But then Hana got this assignment. We thought of running before that, but then we'd have been caught, most likely killed. So…"

"Who put you up to it?" Rumi asked, gently.

"This man," Ami said, vaguely, running a hand through her tresses. "He's a leader of some big organization. They have some pretty twisted ideas. Hana and I didn't know at first. We thought it was going to be different."

"I believe you," Rumi said. "But, can you give us any names?"

Ami bit her lip.

"Promise nothing will happen to Hana?"

"Hey, we'll take her with us," Korra said, smiling softly. "We'll get the best healers in the world to patch her up and she'll be better in no time."

Ami seemed to take comfort in that fact.

"The man's name is Aku," she said. "He might still be there."

She pointed to the building across the street. A lone figure stood silhouetted against the window of a second story flat. Korra couldn't see much, but evidently Rumi could. Korra could hear her sharp intake of breath and raised a brow.

"Something wrong?"

Rumi ignored her and turned to look at Ami.

"Where did you meet him?"

"I...I don't know," she responded. "Hana found him."

"Ami, you have to promise to stay away from him. Both of you."

"But, I…"

"Promise me." Rumi said. "Aku is dangerous."

"Okay, but why does he bother you so much, Have you worked with him?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Who is he?" Korra asked. "Are we supposed to know him?"

"He's part of the Black Lotus," Tonraq said. "One of the men we've been trying to track for ages."

"Aku is not the type of man you want to cross," Rumi said. "If he wasn't after you before, you can be sure he'll do everything to end you now. That's why you and Hana have to stay away from him."

"We were going to run away anyway," Ami said. "We figured he might come after us, but we were willing to risk it."

Korra looked back up at the window, but the silhouette was gone.

"How do you know so much about this guy?" She wondered. "Did you meet him through Zolt or someone?"

Rumi shook her head. "No, not through Zolt. Different means."

"You worked for him, then?" Tonraq guessed.

"As if. He tried to recruit me for his line of work. I refused."

"So he's hunted you down?" Ami wondered.

"No, not really."

Ami cocked her head to the side. "Then how is it you know so much about him?"

Rumi looked nervous and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears.

"Because," she said. "Aku is my father."


	21. Chapter 20

_**A/N: **This took much longer than we expected... Mostly because we had to go back and forth on how we could present the contents of this chapter without making it seem like it was taking forever for things to happen. The good guys finally catch a break and quite possibly gain very unlikely allies... Bolin gets thrown into the whole situation out of the blue, and Rumi ends up meeting someone she never expected. What does this mean for Korra and her krew? Read on and find out! And thanks again for staying with us. As texty as this chapter is, we decided it was necessary to get things going for what's to come. And yes, there's definitely more going on than we've already seen!_

* * *

Tonraq remembered finding out about Korra's abilities, one bleak wintery day, over twenty years ago. Senna had just put Korra down for a bath and he'd just come indoors after refilling the woodpile when Senna had frantically yelled for him. He hadn't even bothered to shake off all the snow clinging to his robes; instead, he'd dashed into the bathroom, his waterskin open and at the ready, just in case. He found Senna and Korra completely unharmed but Senna looked alarmed.

"Korra sneezed," she'd said, eyes wide and panicked. "Tonraq…"

Tonraq remembered thinking how strange it was for Senna to be worked up over something as trivial as a sneeze. It was cold and more likely than not, the bath water was starting to lose its warmth and that was why their tiny daughter had started sneezing.

"It's probably nothing," Tonraq had replied. "She might just have the beginnings of a cold."

"You don't understand," Senna had replied. "Our daughter was bending."

That wasn't unusual. Even as an infant, Korra had displayed an affinity for water and a talent for bending. But Tonraq remembered the shock he'd had when Senna had clarified.

"Our daughter was _firebending_."

As if to prove her point, Korra had sneezed again, emitting tiny sparks, but visible ones nonetheless. Tonraq remembered thinking then that his daughter might be the Avatar and remembered how scared and worried he'd been. That worry had never really gone away, once it was confirmed Korra was the new Avatar. Now, standing before Rumi and listening to her say Aku, the man the creed had been working so hard to stop, was none other than her father, Tonraq felt that same fear grip him again.

Maybe, he thought to himself sadly. Maybe Korra was right. Could Rumi be trusted in light of this new tidbit of information? Was it possible she was in league with the Black Lotus and had been passing on vital information? Thus far, she hadn't given him any cause for concern or any reason to doubt her, but if she truly was playing a part and simply acting, that wouldn't mean anything.

"Aku is your father?" Tonraq repeated.

Rumi winced when he put it that way. To her, Aku had never really been a father. He was simply a man whose roof she'd lived under. He'd never treated her like a daughter and she'd never viewed him as a father. She was Aku's daughter in name only, but she nodded in response to Tonraq's question.

"You neglected to mention that," he noted.

"I know. I'm sorry," Rumi apologized. "But I was too ashamed to admit it."

"I don't need an apology, but I'd like an explanation."

"And I will explain. But not here. Not now."

"Hana needs medical attention anyway," Korra put in. "We should get her back to Air Temple Island."

"Ferries might be too slow, though," Rumi pointed out. "How will we get her there?"

"Naga can take some of us," Korra said. "She could probably get Hana and Ami there."

"I'll go with them to explain things to the others," Tonraq offered.

"I'll take the ferry," Rumi said. "I'll join you there."

Tonraq turned to Korra. "Are you coming?"

Korra just scratched Naga's ears and shook her head. "I'll keep Rumi company. But Naga will get the rest of you to the Island, won't you, girl?"

Naga nudged her and gave her a particularly wet kiss.

Tonraq just laughed. "We'll see you guys there then," he said, helping Ami onto the polar bear dog and then placing Hana in her arms. He was the last to clamber on and as soon as he took his place, Naga bounded off towards Air Temple Island.

Korra and Rumi followed at a much slower place. Outside the bureau, there was confusion, chaos, and commotion so Rumi led them down the alleys towards the harbor. Thankfully, in all the confusion, no one seemed to have noticed Korra appear so slipping away was quite easy. They made it to the docks in record time and had time to spare waiting for an incoming ferry.

"So," Korra said, at an attempt to make small talk. "Your arch nemesis is your father?"

"Yes," Rumi said, resignedly. "It would seem so."

"Is that why he tried to kill you?" Korra asked.

"It's a long story; I'll explain when there's less chance of being heard."

Korra opened her mouth to object but was interrupted by the sound of a camera shutter. Several yards behind them, stood a reporter. He was grinning and snapping pictures rapidly. Korra rolled her eyes and ignored him, but Rumi looked ticked off.

"Avatar Korra," the reporter called. "Is she your new girlfriend? What happened to Miss Sato? Is it true she filed for bankruptcy? Is it true she's in an affair with the head of Cabbage Corp?"

"_What?"_ Korra replied. "Where do you get your sources? None of that is true."

"Is it safe to to say that Miss Sato's newest invention will fail to take the market by storm? What about Detective Mako's recent failure? Can you tell me anything about the political status of the Earth Federation?"

Korra glared at him. "Asami's invention _is_ going to take the market by storm, Mako didn't fail, and no, I will not tell you anything about the status of the Earth Federation. Get lost!"

"One last question! Is she your new girlfriend? What happened to the others?"

"I already told you, we're just friends."

"Sure, sure. Anything else?"

Korra groaned and turned to Rumi. "Just ignore him."

The reporter turned to Rumi. "Miss, what's it like dating the Avatar? Do you feel honored to date her, having come from such a low status yourself? Where do you see yourself in five years?"

"Prison," Rumi muttered. "For murder. If he doesn't shut up."

Korra stifled a laugh.

"And, one last question, Miss. What do you think of Avatar Korra's handling of recent affairs? Do you advise her on any matters? How much influence would you say you have on her decisions? Do you think it likely that you'll be involved in all her affairs? Can we trust your judgement? How likely are you to…"

Rumi kicked a pebble out from under her feet. It hit a nearby post and ricocheted from the post and into her hands. She lobbed it at the reporter and he gave a startled cry and fell face first into the backwaters of the bay. Korra didn't even bother suppressing her laugh when Rumi kicked his camera into the water for good measure.

"Sorry," Rumi said. "He was getting on my nerves."

Korra just shrugged. "Not like I care. I would have done it eventually. You just beat me to it."

Rumi watched the reporter swim for his camera.

"He's going to print that bogus story, isn't he?"

"Absolutely."

"And not a single sentence will be true."

"No, of course not."

"Figures."

Korra snickered. "How does it feel for someone of your rank to be in my presence?" She teased, imitating the reporter. "It must be an honor."

"Please, the honor's all yours."

Both women were silent for a minute before they broke out laughing.

"So, this Aku guy; why's he so bad?"

"I could write a book," Rumi replied. "But if you want a short answer it's because he's a zealot. He thinks he's got a noble cause and he's willing to do whatever it takes to reach his goal."

"Including taking you out?"

"Not just me," Rumi said bitterly. "Your mother too."

"She was gassed by him?"

Rumi nodded. "You asked me why he didn't gas me and I told you; whatever that gas is, it likely doesn't kill. But he probably didn't want to take a chance with me."

Korra looked angry. "When I find this guy…"

Rumi shook her head. "He's not the one you have to worry about. My mother is."

"Your mother? Who's she?"

"You've met her," Rumi said, drily.

"I have?"

Rumi nodded. "Buttercup."

"_Buttercup Raiko? The _First Lady?"

Rumi nodded again. "Her real name is Min. After she left Aku, she came here, got a facelift…"

"Tried to, at least," Korra said.

"Yeah." Rumi agreed, smiling faintly. "But she met Raiko and then...well, I guess they saw something in each other."

"Does she know you're here? Does Raiko know? Are you close to them?"

"Close to them?" Rumi snorted. "As if. I've never said two words to the President; I can't imagine my mother would tell him about me and my father. And I've done my best to cut ties with both my parents. Evidently, that didn't work."

"Buttercup seems harmless enough. She doesn't seem like she's very smart."

"That's where you're wrong," Rumi said. "She's good at lies and deception. And she's cunning. She's the ringleader."

"Of what?"

"The Black Lotus."

"Buttercup Raiko is the ringleader?" Korra echoed. "You're sure about this?"

"Yes. Certain of it. The brotherhood thinks Aku is the mastermind, but he's always deferred to my mother."

Korra just blinked. She thought of Unalaq and her crazy twin cousins, and how her father was part of some secretive creed.

"I thought my family was messed up," she said, chuckling. "Sorry about your parents. Seems like they'd take the prize for lousy parents."

"Yeah. Speaking of parents, do you think your father will be upset with me?"

"About not telling him?" Korra wondered. "I doubt it. He'll be peeved for a bit, maybe, but I think he'll understand. My parents are good at that."

"Senna knew. Well, some of it anyway. She knew about Aku being my father and about...other things, but I never had the guts to tell Tonraq."

Korra watched as the approaching ferry docked and as the gangplank was lowered.

"I'm sure once you explain everything, in detail, he'll understand. Let's go."

"It's the 'in detail' part that worries me," Rumi muttered to herself. But, she took a deep breath and followed Korra onto the ferry, before the gangplank was hoisted and they were sailing for Air Temple Island.

* * *

Min was pacing which was never a good sign. Even though she was clad in nothing but a nightgown and silken slippers, Aku had to admit she looked good. But that thought was in the back of his mind as he watched her. It was still fairly early and the gassing had happened barely two hours ago, but Min had already found out. There were few things scarier than his angry ex-wife.

"Did I or did I not tell you to think before you acted?" MIn asked, throwing herself into a plush armchair and helping herself to a generous amount of sake.

"Yes, you mentioned it." Aku responded.

"Then what were you thinking?" Min thundered. "You've jeopardized everything."

"Me? I was saving things!"

"How did you work that out?"

"Has it ever occurred to you that Rumi is alive and in this city, that she's a danger to our mission? I was trying to get rid of her kind, to ensure nothing and no one would stop us."

"And has it occurred to you that by gassing that stupid bureau you've probably revealed us to the whole city. Do you ever think, Aku? Just once. Use that brain of yours."

"I don't know what you're playing at, Min, but we're so close to finding Jian's armor and those other relics. We can't afford to be thwarted now. I saw an opportunity to rid the world of these Assassins and I took it. What have you done?"

"Damage control," Min fired back. "I've had to cover up this fiasco so we can proceed. Tomorrow's newspapers will only talk about a three-alarm fire and any incriminating pictures have been destroyed. I've also come up with a plan to get those relics."

"What plan?"

"That's not important now. Did you succeed?"

"In what?"

"Removing Rumi?"

"No. She got away. So did two of my accomplices. Zolt came and told me he was knocked out. When he woke up, one of them, foolish girl, had gone in to save the other. They both vanished in all the commotion."

"They're a liability," Min said. "We'll have to eliminate them."

Aku waved his hand. "It's highly unlikely they made it out, but I have scouts looking for them just in case."

"Do you know where Rumi is? I'd like to see her."

"Min…"

"Don't give me that look, Aku. I know what I'm doing."

"Min," Aku said again, kneeling in front of her and taking her hands in his. She didn't flinch or pull away, so Aku proceeded. "I know you probably won't believe me when I say this, but deep down, I don't want this anymore than you do. But we can't spare Rumi. She's too great a threat to the cause and sometimes, we have to make sacrifices."

"I'm not sparing her," Min said. "But it's different for you, Aku. She wasn't the son you wanted, so you ignored her. But I had to raise her and the worst part about it was every time she looked at us. Do you know what I saw in her eyes? Shame. Maybe it doesn't mean anything to you, but it's different for mothers. I know she's a threat, but as a mother, I want to give her one more chance. I want to give us one more chance. We can't ever be a family again, but...she might prove useful to us. We just have to convince her of that."

"It won't be any use, Min. She'll never join us."

Min gave a creepy sort of smile, one full of sadness and excitement all at once. "No, Aku. That's where you're wrong. She's a broken young woman now."

"What do you mean?"

Min laughed, a sinister sort of laugh. "Aku, I've known she was in this city long before you did. She's alive only because I allow it. I've watched her for years. I tried using her to infiltrate that stupid brotherhood, but it hasn't proved useful."

"I don't follow."

"Do you remember that boy she was madly in love with? He's dead."

"How do you know?"

"I have my sources. My point is this: Rumi's always been a shade foolish. She threw away everything to be with that boy and he's gone. It's highly likely the child she was carrying is dead too. Who else does she have?"

"The Creed."

"They're not family, just colleagues. She can't turn to them. We're all she has left."

"And telling her that will magically convince her to join us?" Aku wondered. "Honestly, Min…  
"

"Of course not, you oaf. We just have to make her an offer she can't refuse."

"She'll never agree."

Min just patted Aku's hand. "I told you, Aku, she's a broken woman now. Broken women can be convinced of almost anything." She gave him a sad sort of smile. "I should know."

Aku cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Okay, so she might join us. But you'll never get her to willingly come to you. How will you talk to her?"

Min laughed. "I'm not going to go to her, darling," she said, grinning widely. "Before the night is over, she'll come to me."

* * *

Ami winced as she moved her leg. It still hurt a bit, but thanks to the efforts of Katara and Kya it was considerably better. She'd been worried that no one would help her or Hana, but everyone had been so accommodating. They'd patched her up, checked on Hana, given her food… Ami wasn't sure she would ever be able to repay them. But, she had information and she was willing to give it all if it meant she and Hana might be away from Aku.

"It's a bit of a long story," She admitted, later when the Avatar and the others had gathered in the healing chambers. Ami had been reluctant to leave Hana and the others seemed to have picked up on that, so she was grateful they all let her stay beside her. "My father was part of the Creed and, as I understood it, he died on some mission. I don't know the particulars, but I was angry and resentful and I decided I hated to Creed and I hated home, so I snuck away to Republic City. After some time in an orphanage, I wound up in foster care and met Hana. Both of us were adopted, so we bonded over that and became friends pretty quickly. Her foster parents were pretty staunch supporters of the Equalist movement and mine were on the fence about it, but she joined and I joined with her. After Amon fell, we tried looking for work, but found none. Both of us were too poor to really be able to move out of the city or travel anywhere so we wanted to make some money and fast. Hana somehow found Aku, said he was offering a hundred thousand yuans if we did some work for him. We figured he'd pay us and then we'd be on our way."

"He never did, did he?" Rumi guessed.

"I don't think he would have," Ami said. "He told us when we signed up, we'd be rounding up some people. He said we would work together to…" She sighed and tucked a few strands of her hair away. "He said he brought together Equalists, the Triple Threats, and some Red Lotus members to make a potent gas. He said we'd be using it to take down the Avatar. I'll admit, at first, I didn't care. I did as he asked because he was offering us money. We'd spend days scouring for ingredients and brewing these foul-smelling concoctions, but I was okay because nothing had been done. And then one day, Aku rounded up some people and tried the gas on them. It was awful. He had us stash them somewhere far away from our base after the effects wore off. But, after that, I realized none of this meant anything to me. I didn't really care for it and Hana didn't either, but we acted like we enjoyed it and bided our time. We were going to take some money and leave, assuming Aku didn't pay up. But his plans got crazier by the day and he grew more and more reckless and...it was a bit intimidating. Hana reasoned if we left then and there, he'd track us down."

"He probably would have." Rumi said. "He wouldn't let you go if you knew even a shred of vital information."

"That's what we figured," Ami said. "Hana said we should wait until the gassing of the bureau. Aku was in such a frenzy over it, she figured he wouldn't miss us if we took off with some money. He'd have thought we perished in the fire or something. We figured we'd run to Ba Sing Se or maybe visit one of the Air Temples, but we never got a chance. Aku said the Assassins were a threat to all and their bureau had to be gassed. He had a team deploy canisters of the gas at critical points throughout the building. The vents were supposed to carry the gas into the bureau and then Aku had someone light it. Initially, I was supposed be to part of the team setting up the gas canisters, but something happened. Aku had Hana do it. He gave everyone three minutes, a radio, and a gas mask. When the three minutes were up, he radioed saying the place would go up in flames; they had a minute to get out. But Hana radioed back saying she wasn't ready and Aku must have ignored it. I tried to convince him to let me go, but…"

"He had you stay," Tonraq guessed. "Not that you listened."

"I did listen, sort of. I wouldn't have cared if Aku was furious with me, but I was worried he might take it out on Hana when she made it back. But then Zolt mentioned Rumi and told me she would help and I took a chance. Zolt helped me get out, but the building exploded before I ever got to Hana."

"This gas Aku used," Katara said. "Can you give me a list of its ingredients. I can make an antidote if I know what we're dealing with."

Ami nodded. "I can, but I don't know if it'll be of much use. Aku was mining about for some fog in the spirit world. The gas is infused with that, as I understand. It's some sort of spirit's essence."

"Umikei," Korra guessed. "The Fog of Lost Souls."

"Yes," Ami replied."Aku nearly sucked the pit dry. I'm not sure I understand how it works, but I think he found some way to control the fog or the spirit and used it for the gas. That's why it's so potent. And it forces people to see things too, from what I understand. I think the fog might have amplified the effects of the hallucinogens we added."

"When Mako and I were in that warehouse, we saw things," Korra said. "Mom must have too."

"It's highly likely," Ami responded. "Aku had us test multiple versions of the gas, each one more potent than the last. The side effects varied, but most of the people we tested it on seemed to be hallucinating, reliving their worst fears."

"That would explain a lot." Korra muttered.

"Even among the brotherhood, Aku's notorious for such things," Tonraq explained. "He's one of the vilest men we've targeted. The brotherhood has been after him for decades."

"I'm assuming he proved too elusive." Ami said.

"The brotherhood and the Black Lotus have been in a game of cat and mouse for centuries; tracking Aku was just part of that. Sometimes we had him on the run, sometimes, he came after us. But we've been in a stalemate for the last few years."

"Maybe now's your chance to end that." Korra suggested. "We know what Aku's planning and what he's up to. We can take him."

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Tonraq said. "Not until we hear everything, first."

He pointedly glanced at Rumi.

"It's an equally long story," Rumi began. "I'm afraid it's not a very pleasant one. Aku is my father, but I swear I never passed on any information to him."

Tonraq gave a half-smile. "Never said you did."

"No, but you were worried and you had doubts, didn't you?"

"Yes," he admitted. "Only initially. But then I figured if you really were working for him, he would want to keep you around. You mentioned before that he didn't gas you because he intended to eliminate you. That'd be pointless if you really were a spy; he struck well before we had any useful information."

Rumi nodded. "He did ask, once, long ago. I was much younger, but…"

"You still refused and he tried to kill you," Korra surmised. "Evidently, his plan didn't work."

"Sort of," Rumi said. "It's a bit more complicated than that."

"Why don't you start at the beginning?" Tonraq said, gently.

All eyes were on her, which made Rumi a little nervous, but she took a deep breath and launched into her tale.

"My father always wanted a son, someone to follow in his footsteps. When I was born, he must have decided that he didn't need to raise me because he ignored me most of the time. It suited me just fine, because I spent most of my time by myself. My parents were pretty well off and we had a large estate in the Northern Water Tribe. Aku had lots of weapons lying about, so I spent my time stealing those and practicing in hidden corners of the estate. Aku only took notice of me once he realized I was handy with weapons. He explained about his line of work and revealed everything to me. He must have naturally assumed I'd follow in his footsteps. At first, I was tempted."

"_What?" _Tonraq demanded. "You know what he does. Why would you…?"

"I was young; I thought maybe if I joined, I could have a normal family; what child doesn't want that? But the more I heard from my mother and father, the less and less I liked of it. I told them too. Aku was outraged and I think if he had his way, he'd have done away with me then. My mother was slightly more reasonable and tried to convince me to see 'reason.' We argued a lot. Aku was ready to kick me out because he wasn't getting his way."

"How horrible." Ami said. "But it's not surprising. Aku doesn't seem like a very moral person. I doubt he had any regrets."

"No, he definitely didn't," Rumi replied. "He had no qualms, either. But for my mother, I think he'd have gotten rid of me as soon as I was born."

"Do you really think he wanted to?" Ami wondered. "I don't like him anymore than you do, but surely he wouldn't try to kill his own flesh and blood."

"He nearly succeeded," Rumi pointed out. "A while ago, Aku stole something from the Assassins. I found it and stole it from his study. I'm sure he knew. That was already a mark against me. Then, I refused to join him in his quest for power. That was another mark against me."

"And he tried to get rid of you because of that?" Ami guessed.

"That was part of it. The final straw came later."

"This thing you took from him," Korra said, looking pensive. "It was Kia's journal, wasn't it? Dad said it was stolen thirty years ago. Your dad was the one who took it, wasn't he?" Rumi nodded. "That's why you, of all people, had it."

"Yes. But even then, that wasn't enough to make Aku bent on getting rid of me. He wanted to, but he still hesitated. The final straw came when I was seventeen. I met someone."

"A dashing young man your family didn't approve of?" Tonraq guessed, smiling faintly. "Seems like a common problem in well-bred families; the parents never approve."

Rumi smiled, ruefully. "Yeah, that's how it played out."

"One thing confuses me. How do you know Zolt?" Tonraq demanded. "I didn't think you ever met the man."

"You remember that dashing young man my parents didn't approve of?"

"That was _Zolt?_ Tonraq asked, looking shocked. "You fell in love with Zolt?"

Rumi couldn't help it; she burst out laughing. Talking about Rei was usually somewhat painful, but the idea that Tonraq thought she'd fallen for Zolt, a man old enough to be her father, was amusing.

"Not Zolt," She said. "I think Zolt's mother was taken advantage of, at a really young age. Zolt was the result of that. But, afterwards, she got married and had another child, much younger than Zolt. His name was Rei and he was studying at the University in the Northern Water Tribe when I met him. We started talking and things fell into place after that. We fell in love and he proposed. I accepted. But, he was poor. Although he and Zolt were close, Rei refused to get involved with the Triads. He never touched the money Zolt offered. After paying for his schooling he didn't have much to his name, but it didn't matter to me."

"What happened to him?" Tonraq asked. "You never mentioned any of this to me."

"Because I'm ashamed of it," Rumi admitted. "Maybe if I'd been smarter, done things differently…" She sighed. "My parents weren't the best people, but they were still my parents. So, I introduced Rei to them. I think, at first, they assumed it was a schoolgirl crush that I'd grow out of. But then, a few months after my eighteenth birthday, I found out Rei and I were going to be parents. Of course when I told my mother, she demanded I break it off with Rei. My family was wealthy; she was convinced Rei was only with me for the money and that once the baby was born, he'd abandon me."

"He did, didn't he?" Tonraq guessed. "That's why you never mentioned it?"

"No, he didn't. Rei was a good man. He promised he'd stick around and he kept it, which annoyed my parents more. _That_ was the final straw for Aku. He'd tried so hard to convince me to join his cause, to bring our family together, but it was no use. I wanted no part of it and I was determined to start a family of my own, a normal one far away from my parents."

Ami looked sorry. "He didn't let you, did he?"

"Aku? Well, not at first. I'm not a waterbender, so he tried the canals first. He tried to make it look like an accident when he slipped and bumped into me and I fell into the water and nearly drowned. When that didn't work, he decided to let my mother have a go. She didn't seem to care about getting rid of me but she was convinced my child would somehow inherit the estate and all our wealth and that it'd all go to Rei. She tried to convince me to get rid of the baby. I refused. Then she tried getting rid of her once she was born, but by then, Rei had decided enough was enough. I don't remember much of my daughter's birth because I'm pretty sure I was sedated or drugged; it's all hazy and I was barely lucid. But, I do remember waking up on a boat headed to Republic City, with nothing but one suitcase with some of my belongings, Rei, and our daughter with us."

"How awful," Ami said. "I always suspected Aku was a madman, but this…"

"Aku didn't chase you?" Tonraq wondered.

Rumi shrugged. "I don't know. He might have. But the city is huge; it's easy to stay hidden if you want to. Also, I don't think Aku was looking in the right place. Rei and I didn't have much money; I was cut off and he'd spent most of his savings on the University. But he had enough to rent a tiny apartment in one of the poorer districts. It was tiny and ugly, but we figured we'd make do until we were better off. But Rei had a tough time getting hired and I had an even harder time still and by the time the first month rolled around, we had barely made enough to support ourselves. If it had just been the two of us, I don't think it'd have mattered, but we had a baby and Rei decided we had to seek Zolt's help because we couldn't raise a baby that way. So we did and Zolt was really kind and helpful and he promised us an large sum of money...but we had to earn it. He said he couldn't just hand over such large sums without alerting the other members and attracting suspicion. So Rei decided to help on one raid. The money we'd have made would have helped us buy a new place and start fresh. But…"

Rumi paused and Tonraq watched her.

"He never came back, did he?" He said, softly.

Rumi shook her head. "No, but he ensured that the profits made it back to Zolt. Zolt offered me more than what he promised initially; he said we were family and that he always stuck by family; it was really important to him. But after losing Rei, I wanted nothing to do with him. I ran away and tried to find work. But I didn't know anyone in this city and I didn't trust anyone enough to watch my daughter while I worked. No one wanted to hire a woman with a baby, so I was forced to put my daughter up for adoption. I haven't seen her since."

"But how did you become involved with the Assassins if Aku was never part of them?" Ami wondered. "Didn't he ever guess you were?"

"I only joined after I came here, to Republic City. After I put my daughter up for adoption, I tried finding more work. The only place that hired me was a brothel, and only because I pretended to be mute and was desperate for money, no matter how little. Tonraq and Senna found me there later and got me out. After they took me to the bureau, it didn't take a lot of convincing for me to join."

"No," Tonraq agreed, smiling faintly. "It took no convincing at all."

"Maybe it makes me a bad daughter, but I was only to happy to help in their quest to bring Aku and my mother down."

"Her mother is Buttercup Raiko and the head of the Black Lotus, by the way," Korra put in. "She neglected to mention that bit."

"_What? _Are you cousins with Kuvira too? Or is Firelord Izumi some distant relation?" Tonraq wondered, half joking.

"No," Rumi promised "I'm not related to any of them. But Buttercup _is_ my mother. I don't know when she and Aku split up and when she came here, but...well, something happened. She got a facelift, changed her name, married Raiko and became the First Lady when he got elected."

"That would explain the poison," said Katara, who'd been rather silent.

"What poison?" Rumi demanded.

"At the gala," Korra explained. "Your mom offered me a poisoned drink."

"I didn't think she'd ever spoken to Korra," Katara explained. "So I thought it was odd that she was suddenly inviting her for drinks."

Rumi narrowed her eyes. "She must have had some sort of plan."

"Probably, but we can't worry about that now. Aku's our main priority," Korra said. "If he's messing with spirits, we have to stop him. I've already delayed long enough; I have to get back to the spirit world and find Jian."

"If you're going into the spirit world, I'm coming," Rumi said, resolutely. "You might need help. If Aku sees you, he won't hesitate to try and kill you, but maybe if he sees me, that might distract him long enough to let you get to Jian."

"And what about Buttercup Raiko?" Tonraq wondered. "We can't just forget about her."

"It's possible the bureau knows something about her activities," Rumi speculated. "I'll see what they know."

"You won't tell Aku about us, will you?" Ami wondered, glancing at the Avatar and her companions.

"Of course not," Korra said, gently. "He won't hear anything from us."

"You should get some rest," Tonraq said. "We'll need your help soon, if we're to stop Aku...if you're willing to help, that is."

Ami nodded. "I'll help in any way I can."

Korra smiled.

"You should know," Rumi said, on her way out. "Hana's gas mask was deliberately cut. Do you have any idea who might have done it?"

"The leftover equipment from Amon's hideout was used, so I can't imagine anyone would tamper with it," Ami said. "Aku himself gave Hana the mask, but even then, he needed her. Why would he deliberately cut it? If Hana failed, his plan would've been ruined."

"I wouldn't put it past him to do it for selfish reasons," Rumi replied. "But, I think Aku intended for Hana to stay there. I don't think she was supposed to make it out."

"But she did. And she'll recover, so the joke's on him."

"I...I don't know if it's as simple as that. We don't know if Hana got gassed or if she inhaled the fumes…"

"What're you saying?"

"I'm saying Aku's planned this. I don't think it was an accident and I think he intended for Hana to die down there. And even though we got her out, we might have been too late. If she was exposed to the gas and the fumes…"

"Hana will recover," Ami said, resolutely. "You'll see."

"I hope so," Rumi said, sincerely. "If we're to stop Aku, we'll need all the help we can get."

"We can do it," Ami said, smiling. "Hana and I will help with anything. As I said, we were only in it for the money. But now that we know what sort of man Aku really is, we'd be happy to help bring him to justice."

Rumi nodded. "Get some rest. We'll plan more later."

She hurried out and Ami settled into the small bed next to Hana's. She was tired and her foot still ached a bit, but for the first time in a long time, things were finally looking up.

* * *

Bolin was nervous.

Republic City was just beginning to wake as he threaded through the alleyways, taking a shortcut to the docks. He'd been keeping himself busy recently and he'd finally decided it was about time the others found out what he'd been up to. He hadn't even gotten a chance to phone ahead and warn them that he was coming, but he figured it didn't matter so much. Tenzin didn't seem to mind him popping up unannounced (probably because he was the only one who could keep up with Meelo and Rohan), so he wasn't too worried.

At this hour, Republic City was fairly quiet. Only the shopkeepers were up, fixing the display cases, sweeping up the storefronts and getting ready for the day. Vendors were busy setting up their stalls and a few commuters were trying to beat the rush-hour traffic that was soon to come. Bolin walked through the streets, surveying all this as he strolled to towards the docks. The weather was pleasant and it was a fairly sunny morning, so he walked leisurely. Once the streets got a little bit busier, he threaded his way through the alleys, taking familiar shortcuts, to get to the dock.

Two blocks from the pier, however, he ran into trouble. Two figures dressed in dark robes were hoisting an unconscious woman into a van. Judging by the way her hands had been tied, Bolin figured she wasn't going of her own volition. Maybe this was a job for the police, but Bolin knew these thugs would be long gone by the time any help arrived.

"Hey," he called, taking a fighting stance and squaring his shoulders.

The two figures, men he noted, eyed him suspiciously.

"No witnesses," one said. "Take him out."

The shorter of the two came at him and Bolin hurled a stone disk at him. It caught him square in the chest and he fell backwards, but picked himself up and vaulted over the next one.

"Mind your own business," the man said, producing a needle from his pocket and jabbing Bolin with it none too gently. "Sleep well."

Bolin felt his eyes close and sleep take hold just as the van roared to life and sped away.

* * *

Rumi dreamed she was home again. The midwives were standing at the foot of her bed, cooing over a tiny bundle in their arms. At the far end of the room, Min stood in the doorway, watching them work and surveying the scene with displeasure.

"_A healthy, baby girl, ma'am_," one midwife said, smiling up at Min. "_You must be elated._"

"_Yes_," Min said. "_May I hold her?_"

_No_, Rumi wanted to say, but her voice didn't seem to work. _Don't let her!_

Min came to stand beside her, cradling the tiny little girl. "_She really is quite cute. What a pity._"

Rumi glared at her.

"_Do be sensible, Rumi. We can't keep her."_

_Give her back,_ Rumi wanted to say, but her voice didn't work.

Min muttered something incoherent and started to walk away, cooing to the little bundle in her arms. Rumi panicked. She grabbed Min's arm.

Min gave a breathy sort of laugh and sat down on the edge of the bed. "_Don't worry," _she said. "_Soon, everything will be just as it was._"

Rumi felt the needle, before she ever saw it. Her eyes closed and she descended into darkness.

She awoke to voices. Blinking in the soft light of the room, Rumi surveyed her surroundings. She remembered walking to the bureau, two men cornering her, and then nothing. Where was she and why had she been brought here?

She shifted anxiously. Her hands had been securely fastened behind her and her legs were tied to a chair. She had no idea how long she'd been here, but she had no intention of staying. She began working on her bonds, trying her best to wriggle free, but it was no use. They were too tight, too well done.

Suddenly, the voices outside dropped and the sound of approaching footsteps echoed across the hall. Rumi waited with bated breath for the door to open. When at last it did, she came face to face with the last person she expected to see.

"Hello Rumi," Buttercup Raiko said, smiling sadly. "It's been a long time."


	22. Chapter 21

_**A/N: **We're back with an update! Rumi's past is catching up to her, and her loyalties will be put to the test. What if Min knows the one thing she craves more than anything? Meanwhile, Aku is making plans of his own, and sinister ones at that. He's on the hunt in the Spirit World, determined to finish what he'd started. What answers will Korra get from meeting Jian? Would it help at all? Read on to find out!_

* * *

Korra's thoughts were a jumble of confusion and regret as she sat by Mako's bed, holding his hand and absently caressing it with her thumb. It bothered her that they still had no idea how to cure him or her mother, and they had more questions than answers about the relics and the Black Lotus.

"And we wandered right into their trap," Korra sighed. "I couldn't even protect you."

Her grip on his hand tightened as the ambush at the warehouses flashed before her eyes. It was her fault. She'd tried to find out what was in those glass pipes and they'd been gassed because of it. How could she not have anticipated a trap? And how could she have led Mako right to it?

"I shouldn't really be surprised, should I?" Korra asked him as if he were awake. "I never really thought things through, and now you're paying the price for it."

It hurt her even more that he didn't respond with a dry smile and reminded her about how unpredictable these situations always became. Instead he was lying in bed with a slight grimace, probably still seeing horrible things. She noticed all the scrapes and bruises that covered his arms and torso, wincing as she realized she'd given him some of those herself.

Her eyes suddenly trailed down his left arm, scanning the scarred flesh. A not so subtle reminder of what he'd done to take down the colossus. He had risked his life trying to save them all. Once again, she wondered if he'd be better off without her in his life, throwing everything he'd meticulously worked for off balance.

She shook that train of thought right out of her head, smiling as she imagined Mako's reaction if he knew what she was thinking. But it only served to remind her that he wasn't awake. He was lying in bed, sedated, and muttering about things no one else could see.

"I'm sorry I got you into this," Korra said, "but I promise I'll do everything I can to help you get back to normal."

Once again, she wondered whether the new information they had would change things. Would they finally gain the upper hand and get to the bottom of all these strange happenings? Would Mako and her mother be okay? She couldn't answer, and it bothered her. It bothered her that she hadn't been able to help him or her mother.

_What if I can't help him? What if he stays this way? It'd be my fault!_ she thought as her jaw clenched and confusion gave way to anxiety. It was then that the sound of slow footsteps and the door opening distracted her.

"Katara!" the Avatar called out as the old waterbending master walked in.

"I shouldn't be at all surprised to find you here," Katara replied with a snicker, which brought a smile to Korra's face.

"Can you blame me?" she asked.

"Not at all. He's very handsome," Katara replied with a slight jibe to Korra's side. "I'd be worried if I was your parents or Tenzin."

Korra's face reddened at her Sifu's remark. "We're decent enough to keep those shenanigans private."

"And I'm very grateful for that," Katara said with a laugh. "But I sense that's the last thing on your mind right now."

"You're right," Korra admitted. "There's so much going on, and… I don't even know if he'll be okay. I wish I hadn't gotten him into this mess."

"Sometimes it's uncanny how very like Aang you can be," Katara sighed. "He'd always go on about how much he put me in danger just by being with me and how it wasn't something he wanted for me. He always forgot that it had never been his decision to make."

"But if he's better off without me…"

"No, he's not," Katara assured her. "Take it from me, Korra. This boy, he loves you. And you know how you feel about him. Do you think you'd forget about him just because you're apart? Wouldn't they target him still? And wouldn't you want to keep that from happening?"

Dread filled her as she thought about how they could still use him to get to her. "I couldn't let that happen to him."

Katara smiled. "And wouldn't it be easier to help each other if you're together?"

"I… I guess it would," Korra conceded.

Katara smiled at her kindly. "Good. Now help me change his dressings. He needs another healing session."

Korra simply snickered and went to work, trailing her fingers gently across his bruises and healing them before bandaging them again. She needed something to do. Something that'd lead to some concrete answers instead of dead ends. And so she thought of Rumi, hoping that she'd come back soon so they could go into the Spirit World and find Jian.

* * *

Min slipped into an armchair and hastily rearranged her dress. She had quite a lot of things to do and there wasn't much time for her to do them, but family reunions took precedent over all that. It was high time she had a talk with her daughter and that's just what she planned on doing.

"Would you like some tea?" She wondered, ringing a bell placed on the side table beside her.

Rumi just blinked.

"Any flavor, dear?"

"Jasmine," Rumi replied, sarcastically. "I'll just drink tea with my hands tied behind me, thanks."

"Precautions," Min replied. "I needed to talk to you without you attacking me."

"Attack you?" Rumi echoed. "These past ten years, I've done nothing but avoid you and you honestly think I'd…"

"Do use your indoor voice, darling," Min said. "The servants might overhear."

Rumi glared at her. "What do you want?"

"A second chance," Min said, meeting her gaze. Her eyes glinted with something like tears, but Rumi didn't buy it. Her mother was a gifted actress and deception came easily to her. "I've been horrible to you in the past and I have no right to ask this of you, but I'd like a second chance. After I left your father and the North Pole, I spent years looking for you and the child. I've wanted to make amends. I was a horrible mother, but I'd like a second chance."

"It's a little too late for that," Rumi retorted.

"But it's better late than never, isn't it?" Min countered. "And you have to understand why I did it, Rumi. That boy, Rei, he wasn't going to stick around. I was only trying to protect you."

"By getting rid of the baby? Glad that's all cleared up."

"Rumi…"

"Let me go."

"I just want to talk."

"And I want to leave."

Min's face softened. "I'll let you go; you have my word. But I would like to talk to you first."

"Give me one good reason why I should listen," Rumi replied.

"I'm making an effort," Min fired back. "I'm trying to apologize and fix things. Isn't that reason enough?"

"No."

Min sighed and slumped in her chair.

"I'd forgotten how difficult you were."

Rumi didn't say anything, so Min continued.

"I have a proposition for you." Min said. "I know that your child didn't die."

"And how do you know that?" Rumi replied.

"I know you, dear. You'd have mentioned it by now. The point is, I've been able to locate the child. You decided on adoption, didn't you?"

"What does it matter to you?"

"The child is in my custody as we speak. I'm fully prepared to arrange a meeting for you...that is, if you cooperate."

"No."

"Rumi, please," Min sighed. "Don't be so difficult. Your father is convinced you have to be sacrificed for the cause and I'm trying to prove to him that's not true. I can't do this on my own."

"I'm afraid you'll have to," Rumi said. "Because I have no intention of helping you."

"Not even for the child? I know you've been looking everywhere, Rumi. All that searching can end now, but only if you help me. Once you're reunited, well...the president and I don't have any kids, but you'd be welcome at the house and we can all be a family again. Wouldn't you like that?"

"Not really."

"Then I'm afraid I'll have to phone the orphanage and tell them the child can no longer find a home."

Min stood up to leave.

"Wait," Rumi called. "Don't."

Min raised a brow. "What was that?"

An idea was tickling at the base of Rumi's skull. It was a crazy one, but Rumi knew the payoff would be big if it went off without a hitch.

"I...I'll help you," she ground out.

"Excellent," Min said. "I knew you'd see reason."

"What do you want me to do?"

"You're getting rather friendly with the Avatar, aren't you? I need you to bring her into the Spirit World for me."

"Whatever for?"

"Never mind that. Just do this and I'll make sure the child is not adopted by another family. And, once all this is over…" Min smiled widely and tucked a strand of Rumi's hair away. "We can all be a family again."

* * *

Aku had never been into these parts of the Spirit World.

But then again, no one had fully traversed the Spirit World. At least, no one he'd ever known or had been written about. And so he plodded on with the glowing helmet in his hand guiding him through a swamp in the dense fog.

The debacle at the Bureau had cost him dearly. Min surely wouldn't trust him with anything important after that. But, he decided, if he were to find all the relics and use them to take the Avatar down, then maybe, just maybe, she'd trust him again or even take him back.

To say that Aku had been ecstatic when he'd been given the helmet was an understatement. All his life, he'd dreamed of putting these relics together and finally putting an end to the assassins. He'd read so many texts, ventured into the spirit world, and even tolerated a rebellious daughter just so he could use her skills to get one step closer to his goal. Getting the helmet had led him to the doorstep of everything he'd ever dreamed of.

And that was exactly why he was in a desolate swamp in the Spirit World with a glowing helmet in his hand. And while it looked ordinary at first sight, it was a very valuable treasure. It had been forged by Raava for Jian, the Protector. She had worn it for millennia. And while that in and of itself made it valuable, some of Jian's essence lived on inside it, allowing the wearer to wield her immense power. However, it wasn't very useful on its own. He needed to find the rest of her armor to be able to put it to good use. Aku hoped to find them quickly, because he had very little time left to make his final move, and he also hoped that the essence left behind in the helmet would be enough to find the next piece.

Suddenly, the helmet felt white hot, as if it had just been forged. He nearly dropped it into the murky depths of the swamp when something in the distance caught his eye.

A gleaming set of black spaulders was stuck in the ground. It looked like it had been forged from the same, rare metal as the helmet, and it glowed magnificently even in the dullness of the fog.

Not believing his luck, Aku ran forward and nearly tripped headfirst into the muck, but managed to make his way to it without too many embarrassing falls. The minute he reached the spot, the helmet stopped glowing, increasing the glow around the spaulders. He tucked the helmet away into the rucksack he had slung on his back with shaking hands and picked the spaulders up, examining them reverently, as if he'd just seen Jian herself in her true form.

"Now, my dear," he whispered as his reverence was replaced by a disgusting amount of greed, "lead me to the rest of you."

As if in reply, the glow around the spaulders pulsed and he set off in the direction of another unknown location in the Spirit World.

* * *

Korra awoke to the sound of rapping on her door. Blinking drowsily, she shuffled to the door and it swung open to reveal Opal, juggling a stack of books in her hand.

"Need help?" Korra wondered.

Opal just shook her head. "Just dropping these off for Jinora. But, it's almost noon, so I just thought I'd let you know."

Korra sighed. She hadn't been intending to fall asleep, but she was certainly tired enough to do so.

"Rumi isn't back?" she wondered.

Opal shook her head. "Not that I know of. No one's seen a ferry dock, so unless she swam across the bay, she's probably still out there."

Korra frowned. "We're running out of time. I'm going out to look for her. If my dad asks…"

"I'll explain," Opal promised. "Good luck. And be safe."

Korra nodded. As soon as Opal left, she changed into a new set of clothes and whistled for Naga. Naga might have been just a bit too enthusiastic to have something to do, because she broke a door on her way in. Korra winced as it clattered to the ground.

"I'll fix it later," she called to Tenzin, clambering up on Naga and sprinting away, just as Tenzin noticed the damage.

Once they'd crossed the bay, Korra let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"Maybe next time, I'll just meet you outside," she said to Naga, scratching her ears. Naga just barked happily. "Can you track Rumi, girl?"

Naga looked back at her as if to say _don't insult me_, and then sped off towards the city.

Republic City was vast and Rumi might have been anywhere, but Korra wasn't too worried about finding het. Naga was an excellent tracker and she was fast to boot, so Korra was confident that they'd find Rumi in no time at all. Even with all the traffic and the people milling about, Naga didn't have too hard a time picking up a scent. She led them a few blocks in, down several streets, through a couple of alleys, and took a shortcut through a plaza before finally picking up speed. Korra thought she was getting close and prepared herself for anything. But even that wasn't enough.

For starters, they didn't actually find Rumi.

Naga bounded into an alleyway and barked, sliding to a halt so fast, Korra was nearly thrown off of her.

"Hey!" Korra complained, struggling to regain her balance. "What are you doing?"

Naga sat down and gently shook the Avatar off her. She nudged Korra forward and it was only then the Avatar realized what Naga was trying to do.

Even though the alleyway was pretty dark, there was no mistaking the figure lying down before them.

"Bolin?" Korra tried, gently shaking him. "You okay?"

It took a few tries and a couple of particularly wet licks on Naga's part, but at last, the earthbender stirred.

"Hey," Korra said, once he'd regained his bearings and hugs had been exchanged. "It's good to see you, but what are you doing here, Bolin? And what are you wearing?"

"Oh! This old thing?" Bolin wondered, dusting off his clothes. "Well, I...um...surprise?"

Korra blinked and Bolin laughed.

"I know you've been really busy and Mako's been working his butt off and all, so I never really had a chance to tell you guys and then I decided to surprise you, and this isn't really how I planned it, but it's not my fault because I was just…"

"Bolin," Korra laughed, cutting him off. "You're rambling."

"Sorry. I joined the United Forces. Surprise!"

Korra gave him a once over which made Bolin fidget and feel self-conscious. But, then Korra smiled and gave him a hug and Bolin felt a lot less nervous than before.

"That's great news," she said, grinning at her friend. "Opal is going to kill you though."

Bolin gave a nervous laugh and ran his fingers through his hair. "Is she really upset?"

"I think she's just worried," Korra replied, honestly. "You kind of just disappeared and it's been a while. I think she was worried what sort of trouble you'd get into."

"I stayed out of trouble, though," the earthbender responded. "Except for this one time when I got chased by a moose-lion. And this other time I lost the keys to a commander's satomobile. And this other time I got my finger stuck in a rabaroo cage. Oh, and this one time…"

He trailed off noticing Korra's raised brow and laughed sheepishly.

"Okay, so maybe I did get into a little bit of trouble. But I mostly avoided it."

"How did you end up here?"

"I got in trouble," Bolin admitted, grinning. "I was on my way to see you guys and I noticed two guys throwing a lady into a van. I tried to stop them, but…"

"It's okay. We can file a police report once we get back."

"What were you doing here?" Bolin asked. "How did you find me? I didn't tell anyone I was coming in today. I was trying to surprise everyone."

"I was actually looking for a friend," Korra admitted. "But Naga led me to you instead."

"Thanks, Naga," Bolin said, scratching her nose. "You guys heading back to Air Temple Island? I'd love a ride."

Korra bit her lip. She needed to find Rumi and they really needed to leave, but she couldn't say no to Bolin.

"Hop on," She offered, clambering up on Naga herself. "We'll drop you off."

Bolin's smile was bright as he took his place behind Korra. Once he was settled, Naga bounded out of the alleyway and into the sunlit streets.

"You think Opal will really beat me up for this," Bolin wondered, making small talk as Naga led them towards the bay. "I didn't get a lot of time to call her during training, but I tried to as often as I could."

"If she doesn't, I will," the Avatar offered, laughing. "You had us all kind of worried. We had no idea what you were up to and no way of really reaching you."

"Yeah, I know."

"Mako was worried too. I think if he wasn't working on this giant case, he'd have started looking for you himself."

"Sounds like him," Bolin laughed. "I can't wait to tell him what I've been up to."

"Bolin…"

"He's totally going to flip. Where is he anyway?"

Korra sighed. "We had no way of reaching you," she said, softly. "And everything happened so fast, it was just…"

"What are you talking about?" Bolin demanded. "Did I miss something? Is Mako okay?"

Korra really didn't want to have this conversation now, but Bolin had a right to know, so she did her best to fill him in. She told him about the case, the leads, how she and Mako had investigated the warehouse, and the outcome of that fateful night. When she was done, Bolin looked pretty somber. Korra was expecting anger too, and it was there, but not directed at her.

"When you find these guys," he said. "Make sure you rough them up a bit. For me."

Korra nodded. "I'm sorry, though. If I'd been stronger, maybe I could have saved him."

"You did your best," Bolin said, smiling softly. "Don't blame yourself."

"Wish it was easy as that," Korra muttered.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure no one blames you. I know Mako wouldn't."

"He probably should," Korra said, laughing morosely.

"You could set him on fire with a matchstick and he still wouldn't blame you," Bolin teased. "Even if you did it right in front of him. You know how much you mean to him."

Korra smiled.

"He's...going to be okay, isn't he?" Bolin asked, at length.

"He better be. I almost lost him once," Korra replied, recalling Mako's story of how close he'd come to death disabling Kuvira's colossus. "I'm not losing him again. If I do, I'll gut him like a fish."

Bolin smiled. "Not if I do it first."

"We'll tag-team him," Korra said. "He won't know what hit him."

Bolin laughed. "Sounds like a plan. Do you think...can I see him?"

"Yeah," Korra said, just as Naga stepped onto the dock at the Island. "He's sedated, but you can still see him."

She led Bolin up the winding path, towards the main house.

"What happened to the front door?" Bolin wondered. ''Why is it missing?"

"Naga," Korra replied, as if that explained everything. Bolin looked confused, but Korra just shook her head. "Come on. The others will want to know you're here."

Opal was the first to greet them. She looked shocked to see Bolin and it looked like she was itching to yell a few choice words at him, but she refrained, long enough to give Korra a message.

"While you were out, your friend Rumi came back. She's waiting for you in your room."

"Thanks," Korra said, ignoring Bolin mouthing the words _help_ and _save me._ "Nice to have you back, Bolin. Good luck. You'll probably need it."

"Korra!"

The Avatar laughed and walked away, chuckling to herself as Opal launched into a tirade about how worried she'd been and how much trouble her boyfriend was in.

When Korra reached her room a couple of minutes later, she was surprised to see the door slightly ajar and hear voices coming from within. As far as she knew, Rumi was coming alone, but when she opened the door, she was surprised to find Asami sitting on her bed and chatting away with Rumi as if they'd been old friends.

"Hey," Asami said, waving as Korra stepped in.

Korra blinked. "Hi. I didn't know you were coming over today."

"To be honest, I didn't know I was either until Rumi crashed into my window and scared the living daylights out of me."

"You two know each other?" Korra asked.

"Just met," Rumi responded.

"I was interrogating her," Asami said, holding up a copy of the newspaper's gossip section. "I have to do a background check and everything, don't I, since you two are apparently dating?"

Korra laughed and snatched the paper up, skimming the contents. The printed version was even more bogus than anything that reporter had said.

She whistled. "Dating for three and a half years. Wow."

"Apparently we met at a spa," Rumi said, smiling faintly. "I'm not even rich enough to afford half a spa session."

All three descended into laughter.

"I can't believe you two," Asami said, flopping back on Korra's bed and feigning sadness. "You broke my heart and now I'm failing at running my company. I have to file for bankruptcy and...it's too much."

She feigned dramatic sobs and Korra laughed.

"You also apparently called off your engagement to Prince Wu," Korra said, glancing at the paper.

"That guy?" Asami rolled her eyes. "You couldn't pay me to marry him."

"I'd really like to know where these reporters get their sources," Rumi said. "Since when are we deciding to tie the knot at Ember Island?"

"You mean, _if_ they have sources," Korra replied. "And Ember Island is a tourist trap. I wouldn't go there."

"Yeah. Ba Sing Se might be nice," Asami said. All three looked at each other and burst out laughing again.

"Not to be a killjoy and ruin the fun, but what are you doing here?" Korra wondered, glancing at Asami.

"Rumi came to get me. Apparently, you guys need my help. She didn't tell me much, but it better be good, because I missed a very important business meeting for this. Also, Rumi owes me a window.

"It'll be replaced before you go back," Rumi replied, winking. "But we have more important things to worry about."

"Such as?" Korra wondered.

Rumi explained what had happened to her and her encounter with Min.

"It's a trap," she admitted. "My mother wants me to lure you into the spirit world. And I agreed."

"_What_?" Korra asked, staring at Rumi. "You agreed? Why?"

"Because my mother thinks we don't trust each other and that she can finish this once and for all. Whatever's waiting for us in the spirit world...well, it might prevent you from finding Jian. That's why I lied to my mother and told her I'd bring you there. If she thinks she succeeded, she might let her guard down long enough for us to get what we need and put an end to this madness."

"Does Min actually believe it, though? Does she really think you'd help her after everything she did?"

Rumi shrugged. "I don't know. She thinks she made me an offer I can't refuse and so I played along."

"What offer?" Korra wondered. "She can't honestly think she has anything we'd need from her."

"Not you," Rumi laughed. "Me. She offered to take me to my daughter."

"Min knows where she is?"

Rumi shrugged. "She says she does."

"And you're planning on betraying her. She won't tell you afterwards."

"I know."

"And you're doing it anyway? In spite of how long you've looked for her?"

Rumi sighed. "Yes."

"Are you nuts? This might be the information you need. Maybe we can get it, somehow."

"It's not worth it. The orphanage my daughter is from closed down years ago. The kids that weren't adopted were probably turned out into the streets. I don't know. But any records of her would be long gone. And I made sure my daughter didn't have anything tying her to my parents. My mother can claim whatever she wants, but deception is her speciality. She always lies and this time is no different. That's why I 'agreed' to her plan. Whatever she's promising, she won't deliver."

"So, what is the plan?" Korra wondered. "Did Min mention anything about what the trap entails?"

"No, of course not. She's not that stupid, unfortunately. But, she thinks I'm luring you to her and that's what I'm going to do."

"How?" Asami demanded. "If it's a trap and Korra goes…"

"Only, she won't go," Rumi said, grinning. "My mother will think I've delivered Korra to her, but by the time she realizes what I've done, hopefully Korra will be elsewhere."

"And how is she going to do that?" Asami asked. "Korra can't be in two places at once and she can't disappear into thin air...can she?"

"I haven't mastered that yet," Korra said, wryly. "But Asami has a point. I can't be in two places at once. I can either be looking for Jian or with your mom."

"Not if I pose as you," Rumi said, her eyes sparkling with mirth. "If I pose as you and meet my mother in the spirit world, you can look for Jian elsewhere."

"Not bad," Asami admitted. "But you don't look much like Korra. Your hair's a lot longer and your outfit is totally different and…"

"Costume change," Rumi said. "I'll borrow one of her outfits and you can work your magic with your makeup."

"Well, at least one of you is willing," Asami teased, smiling at Korra.

"Thanks but no thanks," the Avatar laughed. "I'll stay make-up free for this one. But won't Min notice the difference? I'm slightly taller."

"How many times have you interacted with her? She won't be able to notice stuff like that. As long we look similar, we should be fine."

"If you're sure," Korra said.

"Positive."

"Come on, Korra," Asami teased, steering Rumi to a vanity table tucked in the corner of the room. "We've got our work cut out for us."

"You should know I'm carrying a minimum of three different types of weapons on me," Rumi said, trying to look severe. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing," Asami laughed. "Now sit still. By the time I'm done, Buttercup won't be able to tell the difference."

* * *

Ami sat quietly beside Hana's bed, watching as she took ragged breaths owing to being exposed to too much smoke from the explosion. She looked at all the scrapes and bruises being buried in rubble had caused, and realized how beat up she looked even after being healed.

_We were going to run away, get away from all this,_ Ami thought to herself. _We would've been on our way to some quaint place in the Earth Kingdom by now._

But they were still in Republic City, and in a place she'd never dreamed she'd enter. But the Avatar's friends had been nothing but kind. And she hadn't expected to feel sorry about ever wanting to take her down, but watching her help even those she'd only just met, she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at ever wanting to cause her harm.

Looking out the window, she could see Yue Bay and the portal that led to the Spirit World, its light bright and yellow and pulsing with energy until it met the sky, and probably even beyond. Korra had opened it all by herself, if she'd recalled the story correctly. She also recalled how people had put her under so much scrutiny for making these decisions, questioning whether she should be allowed to choose at all.

"And I'd been one of them," Ami sighed to herself. "And here we are, indebted to her and her friends. You have to survive this, Hana. You have to. We need to get out of here so we'll never have to worry about Aku again."

Hana remained unconscious, oblivious to her girlfriend's plea to get well so they could leave. After everything they'd been through, they didn't seem any closer to being free than they had been while they were working for Aku.

"Can't sleep?" she heard someone ask.

She turned to find Korra standing at the door, looking ready to leave for something important.

"Avatar Korra!" Ami replied. "No, I… I couldn't."

"You don't have to address me like that," Korra said with a smile. "I have a habit of being wary of people who address me that way, with very few exceptions."

"Then what should I call you?"

"I have a name," Korra replied with a smirk.

"K-Korra, then. I have to ask. Why'd you decide to help us?"

"You were in trouble."

"Because we were trying to hunt you down," Ami replied.

"People are always trying to hunt me down," Korra shrugged.

Ami fell silent. She couldn't argue with that. "I'm sorry," she managed to say.

"For what?" Korra asked.

"For being a part of this mess. I just… we just needed the money."

Korra smiled. "You had your reasons. We don't always make the best choices, but we can only do our best to make amends. Hana looks better, by the way."

"Does she look like she'll make a full recovery?" Ami asked.

"She seems to have been exposed to a lot of smoke from the explosion. We've done what we can, but…"

Ami didn't want to contemplate the alternative.

"She'll be fine," Ami replied stubbornly. "I know she will."

Korra simply smiled. "I hope so, too."

Ami smiled back at Korra warily. The situation was as weird as it could get. She was in a strange place amongst people who she'd called enemies until very recently, and talking to the Avatar of all people as if it was just a normal thing she'd always done.

"So, what're we doing about Aku?" she finally asked Korra.

Korra frowned. "We need to get a headstart. As of right now, they have the advantage. Hopefully once Rumi and I meet Jian, we'll have a better chance."

As if on cue, Rumi entered the room looking almost like Korra, but the differences could still be spotted. Korra seemed to notice Ami's expression and smiled.

"Well, Rumi, you're going to learn what it's like to be me.," Korra joked. "Trust me, it isn't the best feeling."

Rumi smirked. "What're you talking about? I'm gonna have some fun without being blamed for it, for once."

"Not happening," Korra warned Rumi, but the way she nudged her shoulder showed no annoyance.

"We better get moving," Rumi said. "If we're to meet Min when we're supposed to, we better head out there now."

Korra nodded. "Alright, then. And Ami, hang in there. Let's just hope for the best."

Ami simply nodded, unable to shake the awkwardness that came with being told to stick to it by the Avatar herself.

"You have to make it, Hana," Ami whispered once Korra had left with Rumi. "We have our whole lives ahead of us, and strange, new friends. You'd laugh at our situation. I want you to! I need to know you'll be okay."

But Hana remained unconscious and unresponsive to Ami's pleas, who couldn't help but feel that maybe her optimism wouldn't be enough to pull them through this mess.


	23. Chapter 22

_**A/N: **We know it's been a while... and yes, we're working on the next chapter already. Things are finally coming to a head, and not all of it has been good. Will Min truly give Rumi what she's always craved the most? Will meeting Jian help Korra at all? What if it's already too late and Aku finds all the relics before Korra can get Jian to help her? Read on and find out!_

* * *

Zolt slipped into a chair and sighed. It was late at night and all he wanted to do was fall asleep, but there were important matters to discuss. Sighing again, he helped himself to a glass of sake and surveyed his company.

He and his colleagues were seated around a table, in one of the many rooms of their hideout, far away from Aku and his men. Normally, meetings were much livelier than this, but lately, they'd all been working so hard that they barely had the energy to drink. Viper was lounging in a chair and Shin looked ready to fall asleep. Ping had been trying to smoke, but judging by the unlit cigar in his hand and his snores, it was evident he hadn't accomplished the task.

"I'm beat," Shin said, yawning hugely. "Can't we do this in the morning, Boss?"

"Yeah. Aku's been working us to the bone," Viper put in, stoking the fire in the hearth. "I'm so tired, I don't even know if I'll make it out of this room."

"This can't wait," Zolt said, sitting up a bit straighter in his chair. "This whole plan is actually what I wanted to speak to you about. When I first acquired a contract with Aku, he promised us a tidy sum of half a million yuans." Shin whistled. "The sum was to come to us in small portions. But, so far, all I've gotten is seventy five yuans."

Viper, who'd been downing some sake, promptly spit it out. "What? That old codger can't really believe seventy five yuans is enough for all the time and energy we put into his plan."

"It isn't," Zolt agreed. "Which is why I'm suggesting we steal the money ourselves."

Zolt's proposal was met with silence. It was clear that none of them had been expecting that, but Zolt just laughed and took it all in stride.

"Gentlemen," he said, grinning. "Don't tell me you're afraid of a little heist."

"Normally, no," Shin said, "but this doesn't seem like a great idea. We could easily get cash elsewhere."

"But not this much," Viper pointed out. "I just don't know if the reward is worth the risk."

"Half a million yuans." Zolt repeated, eyeing his comrades.

"It's tempting, I admit," Shin said. "But there's no way we'd be able to pull it off."

"I robbed a bank once," Viper boasted. "This should be child's play."

Shin just rolled his eyes.

"What brought this on?" he wondered, glancing at his boss. In the firelight, Zolt suddenly looked ten years older and a great deal more tired.

"The sheer nonsense of it," Zolt said. "Mixing concoctions was all well and good, but now Aku's meddling with spirits and we all know it won't end well. So, I say we take the money and scram."

Viper and Shin exchanged glances.

"Might be worth a shot," Shin commented, grinning at Viper and Zolt.

"Not like we have anything to lose," Viper agreed, clapping him on the back. "Let's do it."

From the other end of the table, Ping grunted in his sleep. Zolt took that as his confirmation and grinned.

"Well, gentlemen, I believe we have a heist to pull. We can start tomorrow. The sooner the better. I'm eager to end this partnership as soon as possible."

"One thing though," Viper said. "How on earth are we going to divert suspicion from ourselves?"

Zolt just grinned and passed Viper a bill.

"Fire up the old counterfeit machine. I think it's time we framed one of Aku's goons."

"Can we frame Shen?" Viper asked. "Please let us frame him. He's always lording about, acting like he's in charge when Aku isn't around."

"The easiest thing to do would be to just substitute the counterfeit money for the real one, but I wouldn't mind seeing that sniveling rat put in his place. I think we can arrange for Shen to have a new bank account opened and have him transfer the funds from Aku's account. And of course, all this can be done without being traced back to us, correct?"

Shady Shin grinned wickedly. "Of course. Aku won't ever see it coming."

* * *

The spirit world portal was still heavily guarded when Korra and Rumi finally reached it, several hours later than they had intended. At present, the two of them were crouched behind a parked satomobile, several hundred feet from the entrance, trying to figure out the best way to head in.

"I could just rough up a few guards," Korra said. "They'd never know what hit them."

"But we'd alert all the other guards," Rumi said. "We'd better not risk it."

"Do you have a better idea?" Korra demanded, peering around the satomobile to look at all the officers stationed around the portal.

"Let's just make a break for it," Rumi suggested. "They won't follow us in and if they do, we can shake them."

Korra deliberated for a moment, It seemed like a good idea at first, but just as they were ready to make a dash for it, an elegant satomobile pulled up, stopping just a few hundred yards from where they were.

Korra nearly jumped a foot in the air when Rumi grabbed her arm.

"That's my mother," she whispered. "And Raiko."

"What do we do?" Korra demanded. "We can't make a break for it now."

Rumi shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't think we'd run into them here."

Korra watched as Raiko stepped out of his satomobile and then helped his wife out. Behind them, another satomobile rolled to a stop. Korra was surprised to see Lin get out, but she didn't spend too much time worrying about it. She and Rumi had more important things to focus on.

Rumi cursed. "Min can't see me yet. Do something."

"Me? This was your idea," Korra fired back. "Think of a plan B."

"I don't have any," Rumi responded. "And we need something fast or we're done for."

Korra peered around the satomobile again and watched as the President and his wife exchanged a few words. Min gave him a kiss and then stepped into the portal, disappearing from sight.

Korra frowned. "We better act fast or we'll…"

The words died in her throat when she turned around. Rumi was nowhere in sight.

If Korra was prone to hysterics, she'd have started panicking by now.

"Rumi," she hissed. "Where did you…?"

"Hey! I got an intruder over here!"

This time, Korra did jump when a guard materialized behind her. Several more surrounded her and she sighed. Raiko ambled over and Lin followed her.

"You again." Raiko said, frowning when he finally caught sight of Korra. "Do you enjoy making my life difficult, Avatar Korra?"

"I wasn't," Korra began, but Raiko cut her off.

"No one is allowed inside or out of the spirit world until this mess is cleared up," Raiko said. "Chief Beifong, I order you to arrest the Avatar."

"Arrest me?" Korra echoed. "You can't do that."

"I can," Raiko said. "For obstruction of…"

The President suddenly collapsed. Lin made no move to catch him as he crumpled, but several of his guards shot forward and grabbed him before he hit the ground. Korra just gaped as they carried the President to his satomobile. Once the guards were some distance away, Rumi popped up.

"Where were you?" Korra demanded.

Rumi pointed to the satomobile they'd been hiding behind. Two doors were slightly ajar, indicating that they'd been opened. Rumi had slipped in through one and out through the other.

"You knocked out the president," Korra said.

"And I'll have to do it again if you don't hurry," Rumi said. "Let's go. We have about a minute before those guards come back."

Korra looked at Lin.

"Well?" The Chief of Police said.

"You're not going to stop me?" Korra wondered.

Lin shook her head. "Have fun, kid."

Korra grinned. She and Rumi raced for the portal, avoiding as many sentries as possible. Most were facing away from them, but caution never hurt. The last thing Korra heard before they crossed was an indignant Raiko wondering why Lin hadn't caught the Avatar.

Lin's response was priceless.

"I'm sorry, Mr. President," she said. "But you commandeered all my men to guard the portal and any available men were helping you after you got knocked out. How could I have caught her?"

Korra just laughed, as Republic City faded from sight.

Once she and Rumi crossed over, the severity of what they'd done finally hit her.

"You knocked out the president." Korra repeated, laughing.

"I know and I'm going to be in so much trouble if the Bureau ever gets wind of this," Rumi said. But, despite that, she was laughing as well.

"You're part of a creed that takes out people. They can't really be mad at you for knocking out the president."

Rumi shrugged. "Yeah, but we were always told Raiko was off limits; too big of a political figure or some such thing. It doesn't matter. We got into the spirit world, so it was worth it."

The Avatar nodded. "So, where exactly are we supposed to meet your mother?"

"Xai Bau's Grove. But you'll have hopefully found Jian by the time I'm done with her."

"You don't think it's worth reasoning with her at all about your daughter?" Korra wondered, following Rumi as they set off deeper into the spirit world.

"It's not worth it," Rumi promised. "My mother didn't become head of the Black Lotus by helping people and doing the right thing."

"Still, she might have delivered on this, especially if she wants you to join her cause."

"It's possible," Rumi admitted. "But not very likely."

"What are you going to do on the off chance Min does have her?"

Rumi shrugged. "I don't know," she replied, honestly. "I didn't think that far ahead."

"We'll worry about it if it happens," Korra said, hoping to reassure her. "But she probably won't have her, like you said."

"Probably."

"When this madness is all over, we could always look for her," Korra pointed out. "You must have some clues."

"Not many. I have some papers, but that won't get me anywhere. And I gave my daughter my wedding ring, but it'll be useless if she's discarded it by now."

Korra pondered for a moment. "There must be a way. I'm sure we can find her if we look hard enough."

"We?" Rumi repeated. "You'd help?"

"That's part of my job," Korra replied, smirking. "And you need all the help you can get."

"Hey!"

Korra laughed, ducking as Rumi lobbed a leaf at her. It hit the ground long before it ever reached her.

Presently, the two came to a fork in the path. They paused before Rumi spoke up.

"This is where we should split up. If this plan is going to work, my mother can't see you."

Korra nodded, gazing off in the distance. Jian would be tough to find in the vast expanse of the spirit world, but Korra had an idea where to start looking.

"Good luck," she said, smiling at Rumi.

"Stay safe," Rumi replied. "And be careful. My father might be prowling around these parts."

Korra nodded and disappeared down the path. Rumi watched her go until she was no longer visible and, taking a deep breath, she set off down the other path towards Xai Bau's Grove.

* * *

Aku cursed liberally as his foot got stuck in another pool of quicksand. The spaulders were still pulsing, trying to guide him to the next piece, and Aku was more than happy to follow its directions. But walking through a scorching desert with the occasional pool of quicksand trapping him was not something he'd been prepared for.

"Why am I wearing so many layers of clothing?" he cursed as he tore the thick cloak off his body and threw it on the sand, still sweating profusely.

When he'd started on his mission thirty years ago, he'd read about the armor that The Protector had worn. He had the helmet and the spaulders, but the chestplate, vambraces, greaves, and the sword were still out there, waiting to be found. And fast.

His pitiable excuse for a daughter was still out there, alive and kicking even after he'd practically stabbed her in the gut. Unfortunately for him, she knew about the relics and could find them if she ever decided to. He couldn't afford to take any chances. Not when he was so close to the goal.

He plodded on and suddenly found himself in a vast expanse of ice and snow. He should've known that in the Spirit World, time and weather made no sense at all. Cursing the fact that he'd thrown his cloak away in the desert, he shivered, walking until the spaulders vibrated and shone, indicating he was close to the next piece.

Brimming with excitement, Aku walked faster, his senses alert and humming with excitement, scanning the terrain for anything that matched the spaulders he was holding. He nearly gasped when he found a glowing object in the distance and made a run for it, nearly slipping on the ice. But when he did reach the spot, he found a strange creature with tiny markings that glowed.

Frustrated, Aku groaned and lifted his foot to kick the creature aside, but it was too fast for him. Within seconds, he found himself face to face with a giant, glowing frog the size of a tree. Angered by Aku's insolence, the frog stomped on the ice, cracking the ground beneath them and sending him into the freezing water below, jarring his very bones.

Aku gasped as he plunged into the frigid waters. He flailed, trying to stay afloat, but surprisingly, the spaulders pulled him under. Unwilling to let them go, Aku took a deep breath and dove down, swimming away from the spirit as fast as he could. The more distance he put between himself and the frog, the brighter the spaulders shone. Aku descended deeper, disregarding how his body screamed in protest with every kick.

After what felt like centuries of agony to Aku, he found what he'd been looking for. A set of black, metal greaves lined with gold lay a few feet below him, and the spaulders in his hand immediately stopped glowing. He picked them up, waiting for them to pulse and lead him to the next piece as the other two had, but then he became aware of the freezing water he was stuck in. Getting to the greaves was hard enough, but how was he going to make it _out_ of the freezing water?

A wave of panic washed over him as he scanned his surroundings and only found more water. The surface seemed so far off, and he was already close to dying from the cold. Just as he was about to pass out, he let out a shaky breath and suddenly felt extremely warm. The water suddenly felt like it was boiling hot and he shot out towards the surface as quickly as he could to avoid being boiled like some vegetable. Wherever the next piece was, he needed to be alive to get it.

He emerged from the water in a peaceful pond by a meadow full of flowers that looked like fire lilies. Surprised but relieved, Aku heaved himself out of the water and onto the grass, his eyes feeling heavy all of a sudden. Aku rolled over onto his back and took deep breaths, trying to regain his composure. He'd heard that the Spirit world could be a deadly place, but in all his years, he'd never faced anything like this.

"Maybe if I rest for just a moment," he mumbled to himself. "Just for a minute."

There were still three more pieces waiting to be found and Aku was racing against the clock, but against his better judgement, he closed his eyes. Within seconds, he was fast asleep.

* * *

Rumi had never been more thankful for receiving the fright of a lifetime. She'd been mentally preparing herself for her confrontation with her mother when Asami literally plowed into her. The heiress had been out of breath from running so fast, but she managed a simple explanation of how and why she'd come. Looking back, Rumi felt silly for not having thought of flaws in her plan.

"Your mom will probably be suspicious if you and Korra didn't turn up together," she'd said. "So, I thought if I came with you and we lied and said we didn't fully trust you yet, that we left early to see if this was a trap or not…"

"That might explain why I didn't come," Rumi finished. "I hadn't even thought of that."

"I know," Asami said, smiling. "That's why I came as fast as I could. It wasn't easy, but maybe we can fool your mother long enough to let Korra find Jian."

"How did you get through the portal?"

"You're kidding, right? The sentries were so busy laughing at Raiko fainting or something that I just walked past them. It was that easy."

Rumi grinned. "I'm not surprised. How did you find me, though?"

Asami shrugged. "Dumb luck? I tried following a path, but I got lost pretty easily. It was pure chance I ran into you, but I'm glad I caught you before you went to meet Buttercup."

Rumi nodded.

"Are you ready for this?" Asami asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Let's go. The sooner we do this, the sooner we can meet up with Korra and convince Jian to help us."

* * *

Min stood in the shade of a banyan tree, nestled in the heart of Xai Bau's grove. Overhead, the spirit world's sky tinged a soft blue, mixed with colors of the setting sun. Min checked her watch and waited. It had been several hours since she'd spoken to her informants, but her plan hinged on everything going smoothly.

Her morning had started off just like any other day. For the better part of the morning, she'd acted as the demure First Lady she'd been characterized as and sat in on several tedious meetings with her husband. They'd taken a break for lunch, during which time Min had excused herself from the dining room to make a phone call. Raiko hadn't even questioned her. If he had, he might have discovered that his wife had placed a long distance call to a small shack on the outskirts of the Northern Water Tribe's bustling city, and wired a tidy sum of two hundred and fifty yuans to an offshore bank account. If he'd listened in on her conversation, he might have heard her ask for an unidentified street urchin in the Northern Water Tribe to be sent through the spirit portal. But Raiko's mind had been more agreeably engaged with deciding what entree to start his lunch off with and had paid little attention to Min's doings. That made it so much easier for Min. She'd fed some lie to Raiko about an idea to explore the spirit world and had gotten him to let her go through. All she had to do now was wait for Rumi.

Privately, Min didn't think Rumi would deliver. As much as she wanted them to be a family, Rumi had always been a headstrong, obstinate sort of girl; following orders hadn't come naturally to her. Min was fully expecting for Rumi to break her promise and she'd planned for that. Any minute now, some of her trusted attendants from the Northern Water Tribe would bring a street urchin, who she'd pass off as her grandchild, to her. If Rumi came, she'd get a child (granted, maybe not hers, but how would she know the difference?) and Min would get the Avatar. If not...well, Min wouldn't be surprised. She honestly wasn't expecting Rumi to keep up her end of the bargain, but she was pleasantly surprised when she caught sight of two figures at the edge of the grove. One was the Avatar, but the other certainly wasn't Rumi.

"Who are you?" Min demanded. "Where's Rumi?"

"She's still in the City," the Avatar's companion said. "She has no idea we're here."

"No?" Min wondered.

"No. We wanted to be sure this wasn't a trap. Rumi denied it, of course, but we had to be certain."

"Oh. You're that heiress, aren't you? Salami?"

"Asami."

"Whatever."

"Is it true you met the President after he finished his doctorate at the university in the Earth Kingdom?" Asami asked. "You seem far too stupid for that sort of thing."

Min spluttered. "I...well! Buttercup Raiko might be. But Min is not. You'd do well to remember that, dear."

Asami ignored her. "Why did you ask Rumi to bring Korra here?"

Min laughed. "Oh! That. You mustn't blame Rumi. It's not her fault really. My daughter is pitifully weak when it comes to her child. She needs information only I have, you see. As for the Avatar, well...I have some plans."

"Such as?"

"That's none of your concern. Now, Avatar Korra, will you surrender yourself or must we do this the hard way?"

The Avatar looked confused and Min felt excitement bubbling up within her for what was to come.

"What are you talking about?" The Avatar demanded.

"Will you surrender yourself?"

"No."

"Then you leave me no choice," Min said. She unfastened her belt. The Avatar and Miss Sato looked far too unamused for her liking, but Min was confident that would change. Her belt was more than just a fashionable accessory and the Avatar was about to see how lethal it could be when used as a whip. It wasn't easy to wield such a weapon, especially a weapon that had been coated in poison, but poison was Min's speciality.

"I'll ask one last time: will you surrender yourself?" Min demanded.

Korra was obstinate. "No."

"Then you leave me no choice. Perhaps a little poison and the right leverage should change your mind."

Min swung her belt towards Asami. The poison wouldn't kill, but perhaps seeing her friend in pain would change the Avatar's mind.

The only thing was, Min had forgotten how annoyingly heroic the Avatar was. The minute she realized what was going on, she'd thrown herself in front of her friend. Min's whip latched around her wrist and the instant the poison made contact with her skin, she fell to the ground, clutching her wounded arm.

"Rumi!"

Min whirled to face Asami, who'd instantly clamped a hand over her mouth the minute she'd uttered the name.

"What did you say?"

"I…"

"You said my daughter never left the city."

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Mother."

Min turned to find Rumi looking back at her. She cursed to herself. How had she not seen it before? The dress and the hair resembled Korra, but everything else was Rumi.

"You fool," Min hissed, glaring at Rumi as she struggled to stand. "What have you done?"

"Only what you asked."

"Idiot. I was going to let you meet your child."

"No." Even when filled with pain, Rumi's eyes glinted with anger. "You were never going to keep your end of the deal."

"I was," Min cried. "I'll prove it to you." She turned back to the tree and beckoned to someone. "Come out, child."

A small boy of about ten emerged from behind the banyan tree. He wore tattered clothes and shoes too big for him. He was covered with grime and dust and his hair looked like it had been tamed with grease oil.

Rumi couldn't help it. Despite the pain, she laughed. Beside her, Asami looked confused.

"What are you laughing at?" Min demanded. "As far as I'm concerned you've lost all rights to this child."

"That won't be a problem, Mother. He's not mine."

"What on earth are you talking about? Of course he is. I looked at all the records and…"

"I had a daughter."

Min just blinked.

"How can you not know?" Asami demanded, gaping at the First Lady.

"Not know? How, indeed! It was that boy, Rei," Min spat. "If it wasn't for him, we'd have been a family. The midwives had strict orders to dispose of the baby, but somehow, Rei found out. After the sedative had been administered, they were to deliver the baby and sneak it out, but Rei managed to get to Rumi before I did. He barricaded himself in her room and threatened them. He made them deliver the baby and then locked them all out. He refused to let me see the child. I thought I could reason with him. But the next day, he and Rumi and the baby were all gone."

"How could you drug your own daughter?" Asami asked, looking shocked.

"Because, it was part of her plan," Rumi said, bitterly. "When the sedative wore off, she'd have convinced me my daughter was stillborn or had somehow died. If it hadn't been for Rei, I'd have believed her."

Min cursed liberally, pacing back and forth.

"Cover your ears," Rumi said gently, to the little boy Min had gotten. "She curses like a sailor."

The little boy obeyed.

"You idiot," Min said balefully, glaring at Rumi. "Do you have any idea what you've done? I was trying to help you."

"Help me?" If Rumi's wrist hadn't been hurting so bad, she was sure her voice would have been shrill now. "I don't need your help. I don't _want_ it. The best thing you could have done was leave me alone. Then neither of us would have gotten in the other's way."

"You can't really believe that, darling," Min replied. "Even if I had left you alone, you'd have killed me. Because, despite all my efforts, you're beyond hope." She sighed. "Perhaps your father was right. Perhaps there is no room for you in our Order. But Rumi, it doesn't have to be this way. As much as you believe I enjoy this, I really don't want to have to do this. The Order is important, but so are you. We're family. I don't want to have to sacrifice you for the sake of our goals. Your father thinks we absolutely need to, but it doesn't have to be this way."

"I'm afraid it does, because there is nothing you can say to convince me to join."

"Don't be ridiculous, dear. Even if this boy isn't your child, I'm sure she's somewhere out there. As First Lady, I can have people search for her. I have resources at my disposal. We can find her, wherever she is."

"No!"

Min rolled her eyes. "You want her to find out the truth about you when you meet her? That her mother is a murderer and gave her away? I hardly think you're in a position to make such choices, dear. If you join me, you'd be doing some good. When you finally find your little girl, you won't have to tell her the ugly truth."

"As if you're any better," Asami retorted. "Rumi's told us all about your Order. Just because you've got some lofty goals doesn't make your kind any better."

"Rumi's only told you what she thinks our Order is about," Min corrected. "She's blinded herself to the reality. All we seek, is peace and protection. We're trying our best to ensure everyone in the world can live a good life. I assume Rumi's told you we're after some relics. According to the Assassins', they're dangerous and should be left alone. But these relics are powerful; they deserve to be shared with the world. They can cure poverty and disease, among other things. That's something that ought to be shared with the world. Your father understood that, Miss Sato. It's a pity you don't."

"My father worked for the Equalists," Asami said, evenly. "Despite all his shortcomings, I can promise you he'd never have joined your twisted Order."

"Not at first," Min agreed. "But even under Amon, he recognized the need for equality. We did request his help, you know? Unfortunately, we never got an answer thanks to Kuvira, but I think he'd have agreed that our Order is not as twisted as you seem to think it is."

"Say whatever you want to justify yourself," Asami replied. "It won't change my opinion of you. You're the reason so many people are hurt and you want to eliminate Korra."

"I'm sorry that it has to be _her_, Miss Sato, but that can't be helped. Personally, I don't think the world needs an Avatar anymore, but I don't really care what happens to her, as long as she stays out of my way. The same can't be said of my former husband his colleagues; there are quite a few among them who have a bone to pick with the Avatar and I don't imagine they'll just sit by and idle away their time if they think they can get their revenge. What happens to her is really none of my concern. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about you two. I'm afraid I'll have to deal with you later."

Maybe Min meant to be faster, or maybe she really was hesitant about hurting Rumi. Whatever the case, she moved just a bit too slow and that gave Asami all the time she needed. In the blink of an eye, she'd held up her stolen Equalist gauntlet and pressed the charged device to Min's hand. The First Lady gave a high pitched scream and crumpled like a leaf.

"Sorry," Asami said, not meeting Rumi's wide-eyed gaze. "I couldn't let her hurt you or us."

"Don't be," Rumi responded. "She's not sorry. My mother relishes this kind of stuff. If it hadn't been for you, we'd probably be in big trouble."

Asami smiled.

Several feet away, the little boy Min had plucked from the streets cowered in fear.

"What are we going to do with him?" Asami whispered, motioning to the little boy. "We can't just leave him here."

Rumi looked pensive for a moment before speaking. "I have an idea."

She knelt, so she was about the child's height.

"Hello," she said, smiling softly.

The boy gave a whispered "hello" back.

"Do you want to go back home?" Rumi asked.

The little boy shook his head.

"Would you like to go to Republic City?" Rumi asked. The boy's countenance lit up when she mentioned the city. He nodded vigorously.

"Yes please," he said softly. "I don't like my home. I'm tiny; all the street boys pick on me and steal my food and break my inventions. I don't like it there. "

"Do you like building things?" Rumi wondered. The boy nodded again. "Would you like to go back with Asami? She's a brilliant inventor and I'm sure she could use some help."

Asami nodded. "I have lots of things to design and build and I'd love an assistant."

Despite how shy the little boy seemed, his eyes sparkled and he threw his arms around Asami in a tight hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," he repeated, grinning up at her and Rumi. "I'll be a good asssistant."

"I'm sure you will," Asami said, ruffling his hair. "We should get out of here. Are you coming, Rumi? You should really get your hand treated. And we should probably do something about your mother."

"Leave her," Rumi decided. "We don't have time. We need to find Korra. You should get him out of here. If you're really up to it, you can always come back and find us."

"I'd love to," Asami admitted. "But Katara and Kya are close to cracking the code for the antidote. I should stay and help them. Besides, once it's ready to be made, I can mass produce it at the Future Industries plant. That way we can administer it to all the victims of the bureau gassing."

Rumi nodded. "Not a bad idea. I'll help Korra find Jian, then. With any luck, I'm not too late."

* * *

Korra knew this wasn't going to be easy. She'd been traversing the vast expanse of the spirit world for what seemed like ages, trying to find Jian so she could convince her to help them, but the journey to the pit that contained the fog of lost souls was a long one. Even with all the information from Kia's journal and Kia herself, Korra felt that this was turning into a monumental task.

"There's a lot riding on how this turns out," Korra thought to herself as she finally reached a clearing she recognized. But something felt off. There were too many people wandering about aimlessly, their faces pale and unfocused, as if in a haze. She wondered what had gone wrong until she saw a familiar face. Aiwei's spirit came at her with a rage she didn't know the man possessed.

"There you are, Avatar," Aiwei snarled, his face contorted with rage and disdain. "It's too bad that the Red Lotus never succeeded. But now that I'm free of the pit, I can keep you here forever. You'll never get in their way again!"

Korra frowned as she watched him try to attack her several times. She had no trouble dodging every single one of his attacks, but when she tried to grab him and fight back, her fist made contact with thin air and went right through him.

"What?" she asked herself, bewildered. "Wait, you're not…?"

She remembered what Zaheer had told her about Aiwei's fate, and how he would rot in the fog of lost souls forever.

"How'd you escape the pit?" She wondered out loud, but it proved unnecessary. Just a few yards from where she stood, the ground gave way to a deep depression. The huge crater, where all these people had come from was empty, and Umikei was nowhere to be found.

Korra gaped at the pit.

"This is not good," she whispered, pushing past Aiwei and scanning the place for Jian's whereabouts. The pit was vast and it was hard to see much of the other end, but she found a massive spider spirit located several hundred feet away, about halfway around the perimeter of the crater. Despite its large size, the spider was hunched over almost as if it was trying to make itself smaller. Korra couldn't see clearly, but she could still feel the spirit's anger as she stood watching the crater. In a strange way, it was almost as if the spirit was mourning the loss of someone she held dear. Still, despite the sadness that seemed to weigh down on her, the spirit was clearly livid. Korra didn't want to just barge in and try reasoning with an angry and upset spirit, but she was running out of time and she had no other plan, really. So, she tried to approach quietly, but the minute she was close enough to talk to her, the spirit lashed out.

"Get back, human!" Jian growled, her eyes red and unfocused. "You defiled what was left of my fog, and right under my nose!"

"I didn't take Umikei," Korra replied with a calm she didn't quite feel. "I'm here to help."

"That's what _he_ said, too," Jian spat. "And he took all the fog… all of it!"

Korra stiffened. She had a hunch that Jian was talking about Aku. "Who else has been here?" she asked her.

"He said he wanted to free us," Jian yelled when Korra stepped closer. "He brought others with him… and they took… they took him! I won't trust you so easily again!"

"I've never met you before," Korra said, trying to calm her down. "Please, hear me out!"

She'd expected the spirit to resist. What she hadn't expected was for Jian to come at her with her pincers snapping menacingly. Korra backed up. She had expected a fight, but she really didn't want to fight Jian unless she had no other options. Jian wasn't giving her many, though. The more Korra tried to avoid her pincers, the angrier she seemed to be getting. Korra was so focused on avoiding Jian's razor sharp pincers and dodging her venom that she didn't realize Jian's plan until it was too late. In just under a minute, the spider spirit had driven her back, towards the edge of the pit. It'd have been easy to just airbend Jian away, but Korra didn't want to risk making her angrier than she already was. But, she also didn't want to risk being pushed down into the pit, fog or no fog. Thankfully for her, Jian gave her a third option...not that it was better than the other two. Faster than Korra could make up her mind, Jian lunged for her, her eyes flashing with anger. Korra was fast, but just this once, Jian was faster. Her pincers wrapped around Korra in a vice-like grip.

"No mercy," She hissed.

And she squeezed.


	24. Chapter 23

_**A/N: **We're finally back with an update! Thanks to all the lovely readers who sent us asks and motivated us to keep going with this and stick to it until the end. We really appreciate it. We're really nearing the end of this story right now, what with things coming to a head with Jian and Aku finding the relics one by one... Will Korra and Rumi stop him in time? Will Jian be able to help? Would she actually help them? Read on and find out!_

* * *

Viper was not exactly used to waiting in lines. Usually, he was the type to cut or just shove people aside, but for once, he was actually waiting in line at the bank, just like anyone else would do. Zolt's plan was starting to be finalized and Viper had been tasked with making sure it was working properly. Shady Shin had fired up their old counterfeit currency machine and they'd spent a good deal of the last day printing fake bills. Ping had somehow managed to take care of all the paperwork needed to open a new bank account and he had successfully opened one for Shen. The problem now was would the bank take their currency? The tellers at the window always checked for counterfeits so the duplicates had to be flawless. They hadn't always been in the past, so Viper was understandably nervous. But this wasn't anything new to him; he and his colleagues had worked with counterfeit currency before and they'd likely end up working with it again in the the future. Thus far, they hadn't been caught so that gave Viper some reassurance.

The line he was in was moving swiftly. Viper watched the two gentlemen in front of him conduct their transactions and all too soon, it was his turn. He handed the teller his paperwork and case full of cash and the man behind the counter inspected the bills.

"Fair bit of cash you're depositing," the teller noted, thumbing through the bills.

"Yes," Viper said, trying to act casual. "Dead relative left me his inheritance. Didn't want it lying about the house, you know."

"Wouldn't it be nice if we all had rich relatives?" The teller muttered. He counted the last of the cash and put it away. Viper tipped his hat and took his receipt and calmly walked out. If anyone had seen him leave, they might have noticed the giant grin on his face. But the lines at the windows were increasing and most people were more preoccupied with eyeing the queue and making sure they finished their business in a timely manner, so no one saw Viper leave. And if, on his way out, he giggled like a schoolgirl...well, that was his business and no one else's.

* * *

Korra was no expert on spirits, but as the Avatar, she'd seen and dealt with her fair share of _weird_. She'd assumed that she had crossed the point where she things would faze her, but fighting a giant spider spirit wasn't one of them. In all her years of fighting angry spirits, nothing had prepared her for this. Jian might have looked slow and clumsy as a giant spider spirit, but given the way she was trying to snap Korra in half, the Avatar knew she was far from it.

"I don't want to fight you!" Korra declared, doing her best to keep Jian's pincers open.

Jian's dark eyes glinted maliciously. "I'm well past caring about what you want," she snarled, applying more pressure. She'd been fooled once, but she would not fall for the same trick twice.

"Wait! I want to help," Korra explained, trying to reason with her.

"That's what the others said too!" The spirit hissed. "And then they stole the fog from the pit."

"They tricked you to get to Umikei," Korra said, trying to keep calm. "But I'm here to help."

Jian's eyes blinked. For a fraction of a second, she stopped and Korra thought she might have gotten through. But suddenly, Jian doubled the pressure and went back to trying to devour Korra in tiny, Avatar-flavored morsels.

"Jian, please!"

Korra was no expert on arachnids, but she was pretty sure they weren't supposed to scream like banshees. Jian, however, did.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" She demanded, narrowing all of her eyes at Korra. "What is a Jian?"

"You," Korra said, meeting her gaze. "You're the one they call the Protector. You used to help humans and spirits. But you've forgotten who you are."

"I have always been me," Jian insisted, lifting a leg as if to prove she'd always been a spider spirit. Given the way she'd moved, Korra could tell she'd gotten used to it. She wondered exactly how long Jian had been stuck in this form. Did she really remember nothing at all of her previous life?

"This," Korra said, gesturing to the spider spirit. "This isn't who you are. You know who you are and you can remember. You have to trust me. Let me help you."

Jian's eyes all focused on Korra for a moment. Then, they all blinked. At last, Jian spoke.

"I will enjoy digesting you. Goodbye, human."

Korra frowned. She was out of options and if Jian wasn't going to listen to her…

Korra figured she had about half a minute before Jian actually succeeded in snapping her like a twig. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and concentrated on summoning Raava's energy to work with her own. She felt it coursing through her body as the wind around her picked up, and she felt Jian's grip loosen on her ever so slightly. So she took her chance and tried to pry Jian's pincers further away from her waist so she could slip away, but the minute she did so, several things happened at once.

Jian yelled and let go of Korra as if she'd burned her, and scuttled back, pressing herself against a nearby tree. Korra gazed at her, trying to figure out what had happened. Jian looked the same, but something was different. Hesitantly, Korra reached out for her, ignoring the hissing sounds Jian was making and the way she seemed to be trying to make herself smaller. Slowly, she closed the distance between them. The minute her hand made contact with Jian, the world exploded in white.

Korra shielded her eyes as the brightness enveloped the surrounding area. When the light receded, the spider spirit was gone. In her place stood a woman slightly taller than Korra, and she was watching the Avatar with her curious, amber eyes.

"Jian," Korra whispered when she managed it.

Jian quirked her eyebrows at being called, and surveyed the woman standing before her. She looked bruised, so she wondered if she'd come to her for protection. But the aura she gave off was different… like she wasn't completely human.

"I sense Raava's energy within you, human. How is that possible?" Jian finally asked.

"My name is Korra," the Avatar replied. "And yes, Raava's bonded with me now. I'm the Avatar."

"The Avatar?" Jian asked, bewildered.

Korra realized that Jian would have no knowledge of the convergences that occurred after she'd been corrupted by Vaatu, so she didn't press it. But a few seconds later, Jian's benevolent features switched to one of anger as she looked at the empty pit, and she pinned Korra down with surprising strength.

"Where's Umikei?" Jian demanded. "What did you do to him?"

Korra struggled against Jian's grip. "They took him. You said it yourself a while ago."

"Bring him back!" Jian demanded furiously. "He needs to be back here! Now!"

Korra groaned in frustration as she tried to push Jian off of her, but she soon realized that Jian must've been a very formidable spirit in her day. Gritting her teeth, she managed to loosen Jian's grip on her and rolled aside, waiting at a distance to see what the spirit would do next.

"You took him, didn't you?" Jian asked her in a tone that made it very clear how she felt.

"No, I didn't. I'm here to help you," Korra clarified.

"Why should I believe you?" Jian spat. "You probably just want to save your skin."

Frustrated, Korra clenched her fists. This was getting slightly repetitive, trying to make her understand that she was there to help. Just as she was about to step forward to make her point, a figure seemed to materialize right in front of her, startling Jian.

"What happened to you?" Korra asked, as Rumi emerged from a thicket of trees.

"Min figured it out," Rumi muttered. "Long story. I got away though."

Korra quirked an eyebrow. She had so many questions, but now wasn't the time to raise them. Jian's patience was waning and if they didn't take care of her first, those questions wouldn't matter.

Jian took advantage of Korra's momentary distraction and launched herself at Korra and Rumi. Rumi's recent encounter with her mother left her somewhat drained and she moved too slow. Jian sent her tumbling into the undergrowth and Korra winced, hoping her friend hadn't gotten hurt. Jian came at her next, but Korra was faster. She ducked as Jian launched herself in her direction and, summoning the Avatar state, pushed her back with a powerful gust of wind.

"Enough!" Korra ordered, her voice layered with Raava's and those of all who came before her. "Do you not remember me, Jian?"

The warrior spirit frowned at the anger in Raava's voice. Thus far, Raava hadn't revealed herself, but Jian knew the voice to be hers and she sensed her energy. But why couldn't she see her old friend?

"Raava?" Jian asked incredulously. "Why are you stuck in this human's body? Has she trapped you like she took Umikei?"

"We're bonded," Korra explained. "I haven't trapped anyone."

"I don't believe you."

"There was a war," Korra explained. "Vaatu was winning. Raava merged with a human to help defeat Vaatu."

"I know of Vaatu," Jian hissed. "Do not imagine me ignorant of the threat he poses. But Raava would never succumb to Vaatu. They have always been locked in a stalemate."

Korra didn't have time to give Jian a history lesson, but at least Jian wasn't attacking. And if a history lesson was what it took to convince Jian, Korra decided not to question it. She'd had enough of fighting obstinate, angry spirits for now.

Briefly, Korra explained about Harmonic Convergence, Raava's fusing with Wan to create the Avatar spirit and their current dilemma. Rumi, who'd patched herself up after the recent attack, joined Korra and filled in the gaps where necessary.

Jian's amber eyes glinted dangerously when Korra and Rumi explained about the Black Lotus and how they'd been mining the pit for the Fog.

"Grave accusations," Jian said. "If what you say is true, the Black Lotus shall suffer my wrath."

"It is true," Korra insisted.

"Perhaps. I have no reason to trust you. But, Raava would not have merged with a human if she did not think it worth her time. For the sake of my old friend, I will ignore my feelings for now. But I cannot trust her."

Jian pointed at Rumi.

"Rumi?" Korra said. "She's a friend. You can trust her."

"I will be the judge of that," Jian snapped. "Trusting humans is what got me in this mess."

Korra looked like she wanted to argue but Rumi cut her off.

"Look, whether or not you trust me, isn't the problem. Jian, the Black Lotus has Umikei and they're using him for some sinister purposes of their own. If we had him, why should we come to you?"

"I don't pretend to understand humans," Jian replied. "You lot are far too cunning and devious."

"If we had Umikei, you'd be the last one we'd seek," Rumi said, evenly. "What is in it for us, restoring you to your true form and making you remember?"

"As I said, I do not pretend to understand you or your kind," Jian said. "I've seen what you are capable of. And I do not trust you."

"Whether you trust me or not isn't the issue here," Rumi answered, coolly. "You don't have to trust me. But if you wish to save Umikei, we have to act fast."

"She's right," Korra said. "Regardless of whether or not you trust us, you'll need our help if you're to save Umikei. And we'll need yours if we're to stop the Black Lotus."

Jian deliberated for a moment. It was true that alone and in her current state, devoid of all her armor and weapons, there wasn't much she could do. But trusting humans did not come easily to her. Although the memories of her time as Jian had become somewhat faded, her memories as the spider spirit were still intact and she knew what lengths humans went to, what lies they spun to achieve their own goals. The Rumi girl could not be trusted, but she had a point. They had a common enemy and for now, that was reason enough to unite.

"I concede you have a point. I will help you," Jian said reluctantly. "But be warned: if this is a trick, if you intend to double cross me, not even Raava herself can save you."

With her threat hanging, Jian turned around and stalked off in search of her armor and weapons. She would need them if she was to get Umikei back and if she was to exact her vengeance.

* * *

Tonraq literally bowled into Asami. He was on his way back from the Bureau with a bit of news and he had been rushing to get the information back to his family and friends at Air Temple Island. He was so focused on his task, that he hardly noticed the heiress rounding a corner until he practically plowed into her.

"Chief Tonraq," Asami said, surprised to see him in such a hurry. "Is something wrong?"

"In a manner of speaking," Tonraq replied. "I was hoping to have a word with everyone if I might."

"Rumi and Korra aren't here, but I was going to see if I could help Master Katara and Kya. I could round up the others for you if you'd like."

"It'd be appreciated," Tonraq said. "But we'd need to meet out here, in the courtyard."

Asami looked like she had several questions, but she refrained from asking them and opted instead to round everyone up, as promised. Accordingly, less than ten minutes later, Tonraq found himself standing before a small group of people, including Katara, Kya, Opal, Jinora, Ami, Asami, and even Lin Beifong.

"Came to see how Mako was doing," she said, by way of explanation. "Asami said you wanted to see us?"

Tonraq nodded. "I was at the Bureau earlier today, seeing if I could be of some service and I found these." He withdrew several small canisters from his pocket and held them out for everyone to see.

"What are they?" Lin demanded.

"They contain the gas used to attack the Bureau," Ami said, eyeing them nervously. "Hana was given a set of those to place by the vents."

"I found these close to where she'd been," Tonraq admitted. "It was buried under some rubble, but it was still intact."

"What detonates them?" Lin demanded, looking to Ami.

"A seal," Ami explained. "Hana was just supposed to uncork it and let the gas out. She had a mask to prevent her from breathing it in. Or she had one, anyway, before Aku tampered with it."

"I thought since we weren't making much headway with the antidote, having an intact canister might help." Tonraq explained.

"It would," Kya assured him. "But, I don't see how we can extract the contents to see what's inside."

"If we had a vacuum, we could do it," Asami said. "Couldn't Opal or Jinora create one that would keep the contents from leaking out?"

Jinora looked pensive.

"It should be possible, right?" Opal said, nudging her.

"I guess so," Jinora acquiesced. "But then what? Even if we made a vacuum, how would we open the canister?"

Asami picked on up to get a closer look. "The canisters seem to be made of metal. Couldn't you open them, Chief Beifong?"

Lin plucked the canister from Asami's hands and inspected it. "It's not pure metal, but I should be able to metalbend it open. But we have no way of knowing what's inside."

"Gas," Ami piped up. "The ingredients form a gas."

"Did you use any liquids to concoct it?" Katara wondered.

Ami nodded. "Several."

"Between Tonraq, Kya, and myself then, we should be able to separate the contents of the gas. Once we know what we're dealing with, making an antidote should be easier."

"And once we figure that out, I can have the Future Industries plant mass produce it," Asami said, grinning. "We could make enough to help all the victims at the Bureau."

"It'd be nice," Lin admitted, "but let's just focus on this first." She turned her gaze to her niece and Jinora. "Which of you wants to do the honors?"

Opal passed it off to Jinora. "Jinora's a more experienced airbender. I'll keep watch in case something happens."

Lin wordlessly handed Jinora the canister and watched as the airbender trapped the tiny cask in a vacuum. Once she was certain it was safe, Lin pried the canister open with her metalbending. A noxious green gas spewed out, but Jinora's air bubble held it in place, so the waterbenders quickly got to work. Extracting liquid from vapors took skill, but skill was abundant among the waterbenders present and they had the contents out in record time.

"Dangerous stuff," Kya noted, eying the various liquids they'd extracted. "Aku must be insane. The fumes from one of these alone might be enough to kill."

"They are," Ami agreed. "Aku had the fumes vented away. But, he was insistent that we use the most potent stuff. He wanted to immobilize the Avatar."

"I think I can make an antidote," Katara said. "But I don't know if it'll be very effective. I recognize these poisons, but I've never seen them mixed with spirit world fog before."

"At least it's somewhere to start," Kya said, eyeing the poisons they'd extracted."

"How long do you think an antidote would take to brew?" Tonraq asked. "If we're running out of time…"

"We'll work as fast as we can," Kya promised. "But, even if it works, I don't know that Senna or Mako would heal that fast. I suppose we'll have to wait and see."

The waiting part didn't sound very appealing, but Tonraq supposed there was little he could do about it. Beside him, Ami looked as thrilled as he did.

"Hey," Asami said, offering Ami a reassuring smile. "We'll help Hana too."

"I know, but I'm just worried. I keep thinking, what if…" She shook her head, as if to dispel her thoughts.

"She'll get better," Asami said, reassuringly. "And we'll find Aku and stop him."

Ami glanced at the canisters as if the sight of them disgusted her. "I sure hope so."

But deep down, she didn't feel quite so optimistic as she sounded.

* * *

Aku was jolted awake as a wave of energy washed over him. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he staggered to his feet and surveyed his surroundings. He remembered searching for the various pieces of the armor and finding the greaves, and then...nothing. He groaned. There was no telling how long he'd been unconscious, and time was of the essence. He was so close to his goal now. He couldn't afford to fail. But, something told him that things wouldn't be as easy as they had been. Something was off, and though he couldn't quite place it, he sensed that there would be more obstacles to face now. Perhaps, Jian had finally realized what had happened to her food source and had set out to pursue him. Or, perhaps she'd found a way to break free of her curse and regain her true form and was now searching for him. Either way, Aku wasn't nervous. He had parts of her armor and he'd have the rest before she found him. He was confident of that. And then…

Aku grinned to himself, collecting the pieces he'd taken and set off on the search, a spring in his step. His glorious plans would come to fruition soon. And then at long last, everything would be as it should have been.

"It won't be long now," Aku said, to no one in particular. "And after this is all over…"

Well, he thought, maybe it isn't too late to rekindle whatever Min and I had.

But first, he had work to do. The pieces he'd collected were still pulsing, still guiding him. He had three more pieces of armor to find, and judging by the frequent pulsing of the pieces he now held, Aku figured he was close and he was tempted to celebrate, but there was time enough for that later. For now, he had a spirit to vanquish and a destiny to fulfill.

And spirits take him if he didn't.


End file.
